Paintings in the Sky
by Pokeluv101
Summary: Gold was bored with painting the stars in the sky and went to find inspiration on earth. Guided by a simple wish, he found Crystal. She had spent her entire life admiring the star and couldn't believe when a man magically appeared before her, claiming to have painted them. But the paintings he showed her touched her and she wanted him to continue painting. {Mangaquestshipping/AU}
1. A Simple Wish

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or any of the characters**

**I'm starting a new project!**

* * *

_He said he painted a star just for me and if I wished upon them he would grant my wish. At first I didn't believe him but when I wished to be faster, he gave me the speed of a cheetah. When I asked how he could grant wishes, he told me that he and his friend had great power. They painted the seas and skies themselves and could create anything with their paintbrushes._

"What are you reading?" Lyra looked over her sister's shoulder to see what she was reading. She knew Crystal would often stay up late stargazing on her balcony and worried that she wouldn't get enough sleep. It was Crystal's dream to chart every star in the sky with her own two hands. She was an astronomer and had been interested in stars since she was little.

Crystal was known to be a very serious person so people were surprised that she was fascinated with constellations and the stories behind them. But the stars held a balance of science and fantasy that she enjoyed. No matter how many nights she stared up at the sky, there seemed to be something different about it and she could almost believe that someone was painting them every night.

Almost…

"I was looking for a history book on astrology when I found this book and thought it was interesting." Crystal turned the cover for Lyra to see the title, _The Man Who Painted the Stars_. "It's a collection of stories about a group of painters that create nature and the world around us. If you wish on something they created, they grant your wish."

"Like wishing on a star?" Lyra tilted her head to the sky and the stars in her eyes rivaled the ones in the sky. She had always been a dreamer and Crystal wasn't surprise that she accepted the concept. Lyra jumped to her feet and Crystal was worried that she might stumble off the balcony. Lyra didn't have that worry as she reached towards the sky and screamed. "I wish for you to paint my sister a beautiful star!"

Crystal stared at the night sky before turning to look at her sister. Their eyes met and they both burst out laughing. Crystal admired how Lyra was able to forget her surroundings and be silly. Watching her easy made the act look freeing. Crystal sighed, "I guess it was silly to think that the stars can actually grant wishes. It's a nice thought but it's better that we achieve things ourselves without relying on others."

"Don't be like that," Lyra knew that Crystal found the stories people created around the stars were as interesting as knowing how they were made. "I have a meeting with my publisher early so I need to go to bed now. Make sure not to stay up too late, okay?"

"Aren't I the one that have to tell you to rest when you're caught up in a story?" Crystal words weren't barbed and Lyra had to laugh in agreement. They were always close and Lyra knew that it was more than the fact that they were twins. Whispering goodnight to her sister, she returned to her room while Crystal continued to stare up at the sky.

She wasn't the creative type like her sister and had never held a paintbrush in her life but she always appreciated art. She wondered what it would be like to have an entire sky as a canvas. But something as beautiful as the world's natural beauty couldn't have been made by a regular human.

She looked at the map she was charting the stars on before turning back to the sky. What would she wish for if the concept was true? It was a fanciful dream, a man painting stars for people to wish upon, but unrealistic. She knew that the stars were mere gases in the air with the tragic ending of fading long before anyone notice. Every time a star faded, her star chart was outdated.

Closing her eyes, she thought for a moment. She started to voice a wish but a deep voice spoke over hers. "I wish-"

"For me to paint you a beautiful star." A face appeared in front of her and Crystal jumped back in shock. She felt warmth surround her hand and she looked up to see a man before. She didn't know how he appeared before her or if she was dreaming. He seemed perfectly calm about the situation while she was still trying to understand what was happening for her to give a proper reaction.

He moved his face much too close to hers and she could swear she saw stars in his eyes. His shaggy black hair fell over his eyes and he leaned back from her, brushing them back. She gapped at him since he wore a strange mantle over his shoulders. Even though it covered his entire body, she could tell he had strong shoulders. He reached into his mantle and she didn't want to know what he was going to pull out.

"Don't touch me, delinquent!" She kicked his leg and he couldn't regain his balance before he started to fall off her balcony. Crystal began to get worried when she didn't hear a scream or thud and ran to see what happened to him. She looked down and didn't see any hint of the man. For a moment she thought she went mad and created him in her mind.

"I come to grant your wish and you try to murder me," Crystal turned and gapped at the man behind her. He was floating in the air but he had no wings or platform to hold him in the sky. His mantle was much longer now and bellowed despite the fact that there was no wind. "If you weren't so cute I wouldn't grant your wish. Now about that star…"

"I don't understand what's happening!" Crystal placed a hand over her chest to stop her heart from beating out of it. She looked at the book she was reading and wondered if that was the cause of her dream. It wasn't possible that a man was floating in front of her. "Who are you and what are you doing here? There's nothing here for you to steal!"

"Do you always scream like this?" The man drifted to the ground while laughing, obviously amused by her confusion. He started to walk towards her but she couldn't back any further from him without falling off the balcony herself. He reached out to her and she closed her eyes when she felt his hand on her cheek. Something tickled her ears and she opened her eyes just as he leaned away from her.

"I haven't had someone wish on my star for a long time. I wouldn't mind if you do it again even if you tried to kill me." He had a paintbrush in his hand and she realized that he must've tickled her ear with it. His wide smile reminded her of the stars since the gold in his eyes stood out against his dark hair. "You wear my stars beautifully."

"Wait, who are you?" She tried to stop him from leaving. He acted so strangely that she didn't know how she should react to the power he seemed to have. She was taken back when he shook his mantle and splashes of colours appeared on it. He dipped his paintbrush into one of the spots before lifting the brush to the sky and making a brush stroke.

To her amazement, the paint didn't fall to the ground but an image started to appear instead. He painted a mirror and he turned it towards her so she could see the star earrings he created for her. She looked beyond the mirror to his large grin, obviously proud of something. "Do you like the stars I made? I know they're pretty rushed but I think they came out well."

Crystal touched the earrings and was surprised that they were warm to the touch. She wanted to ask him to explain away the crazed dream but she already asked several times and he never answered once. Should she waste her breath on what was a crazed dream? There was no way he could paint on the sky and create something from nothing.

"Well, I should be getting back or Silver will give me a lecture. It was nice to meet you sweetie," He nodded to her as he tucked the mirror into the pocket of his mantle. He started to float away but stopped when he spotted the star chart she was making. Crystal couldn't stop him before he lifted it into his hands to study it closer. "So this is what my stars look like to humans. You missed one by the way."

"Your stars?" There was something different in his voice this time when he spoke about the stars she was charting. He made a quick mark on the map before handing it back to her. "Please tell me who you are and what you are!"

"My name's Gold and I'm a painter for the gods. I guess it's okay to tell you since you admire my stars so much." To her surprise he answered her. He stepped off the balcony and faded away before her eyes. She sat on the balcony looking after him for a moment, still wondering about the man and if he was real.

* * *

Gold sat among the stars and added another layer of acrylic paint to one so that it would maintain its glow. He hated to describe painting the stars that way since it sounded like a chore but he didn't know how else to describe it. He didn't know when exactly he lost interest in painting stars but knew that it had been that way for a long time now.

He thought back to the star earrings he made the previous night and the woman that wished upon his stars. Gold lied when he said that it had been a long time since someone wished upon his stars. In truth, it had been a long time since he answered a wish. Some people wished for fame and fortune while others wish for good will for their love ones.

He answered neither. When he started granted wishes, it was fun but he met far too many people he didn't care for. But at the mention of his stars in her wish, Gold thought about entertaining the woman. Her voice was much different than the one that made the wish but the fact that she wished for a star intrigued him. She was even making a portrait of his stars!

While she was sketching them on her map, he couldn't find himself to paint them in his sky. The gods had tasked him with painting the stars but he almost immediately lost interest in doing it. His inspiration was lost and found himself neglecting the stars rather than creating new ones. What he needed was a muse!

But he doubted that the gods would let him leave his duties to find one. Gold wished he could ask one of the others to take over painting the stars while he looked but each of their medium was specially tasked to create something. His acrylic couldn't create forest animals any more than Yellow's charcoals could make stars. He could create others things but couldn't create their natural scenery as the others.

Gold didn't want to simple give up though. He loved painting too much to give it up.

"Yo Silver!" Gold called out to his friend after contemplating for a moment. Silver was his best friend and also an artist who created clouds with chalk. The man could read trouble in Gold's grin and sighed. It wasn't a question of Silver's willingness to help his friend but the punishment they would face once they were caught. He would always help his friend but he'll give him hell the entire time.

"Aren't you already on probation for painting the stars to look like a nude woman last week? Shouldn't you think twice before angering the gods again and dragging me with you?" Silver signed and wiped the chalk on his finger onto his pants. Gold was always rebelling against the gods but luckily Gold corrected it before anyone could see it. "Can't you wait until you finish painting the stars before you start causing trouble? At least then the gods will have one less thing to yell at you for."

"I just need you to do me one little favour while I go and find something!" Gold begged and he could see Silver brows together as if he was considering helping him. He jumped on the opportunity before Silver could think better. "While I'm on earth, can you create a whole bunch of clouds so people won't be able to see the parts I haven't finished yet?"

"You want me to work more while you run off doing who knows what?" Silver scoffed and Gold would've laughed if he received the proposal as well. While people might think Gold as indolent, Silver knew that he wouldn't neglect any of his duties unless needed. "Tell me why you want to go to earth and then I'll help you."

"I just need to find another muse," Gold answered honestly and quickly. "I don't know why painting the stars aren't making me happy anymore. But if I find a muse, I can paint again! It shouldn't take too long for me to find a muse. Usually eating human food gives me inspiration so I'll just try a whole bunch new food. It shouldn't take me more than a month or so!"

"A month?" Silver found himself snapping. He would be willing to help his friend for a week but not a month. Gold should know just as well as he that if he didn't repaint the stars every two week than they would fade away completely. Even if he found his muse, Gold would have to paint a trillion more stars after that. There was also the issue of humans questioning why stars were suddenly disappearing.

"I'll come back every once in a while to paint the stars," Gold promised. "I'm always stuck here in this night sky. How can you expect me to find inspiration? At least your sister gets to interact with people as she's painting the sea. You can create clouds during the day and night. You guys are too busy to keep me company while I paint and it gets lonely being here by myself."

_So even you can get lonely?_ Silver sighed. A long time ago he was in a dark place and Gold was the one to show from friendship. Creating clouds didn't take too much of his time and he owed him far more than time. "I'm going to be checking on you to make sure you're not goofing off while you're looking for a muse."

"I knew I could count on you!" Gold threw his arm around Silver's shoulder. He looked down at the earth and tried to think of places he could stay while he was searching for a muse. There were other artist on the earth but he didn't know if he should stay with them. "I'm going to go find my muse now!"

"Gold," Silver called after him as he was leaving. "Be careful."

* * *

"Greenie, can I get a ride on your boat?" The man in question tried to quickly untie his boat and set off into the river before the woman calling him could reach the docks. She ran far quicker than an ordinary human could and grabbed onto the rope he was desperately trying to untie. "Thank the gods I reached you before you set sail!"

"You thank God while I damn him for siding with you again," Green muttered. She didn't even ask before climbing into his boat and sitting in a chair. They had only known each other for a month but she felt comfortable enough to invade his space. "Don't you have a job to do instead of invading my boat every week? I just want to fish in peace."

"I'll be a paying passenger now so don't look so annoyed." Blue opened her purse and handed him a large bill of cash. He stared at the money she always offered him whenever he tried to push her off his boat. He didn't know where she got such a large of money. In fact he didn't know much about her but her name since she never talked about her private life.

"I don't need your money. Just don't scare away the fish," Green declined the money like he did every time. He knew that if he couldn't convince her to leave within the first five minutes it was useless to continue arguing. He pushed the boat away from the dock and the moved into the center of the river. He prepared his line but watched her creating something with watercolour from the corner of his eye.

Green had so many questions about her and they kept growing since the first day he found her drowning in the middle of the river. He saved her and pulled her onto his ship. She was wearing a mantle then as she was wearing now. Since then she made an attempt to ride on his boat whenever he came down to the river to fish. When she wasn't speaking with him and was creating something with her watercolour.

"So how's your grandfather?" She asked him once the boat was at a standstill and there was nothing but the lull of the river around them. At first he didn't want to talk to her about his personal life but she always had the ability to draw him in with her ocean blue eyes. Blue kept the conversation light and he found himself answering her.

"He's finally able to pull himself away from his research so Daisy and I are thinking of making him a special meal. He likes eating fish so I'm hoping to catch a big one for him. I thought that coming here on a weekday would allow me a quiet fishing day without someone humming in my ear."

"So you were thinking of me?" Blue said sweetly and Green wondered if she could understand sarcasm. She stopped painting for a moment and took out another canvas from her mantle to draw something new. She showed him some of her work and he had to admit that she was talented. "That's very sweet of you and I think you touched the lady of the lake so much that she'll make sure you catch a big fish."

"Did you know you speak strangely?" Green asked her. At times she spoke as anyone would but then she would reference something from centuries ago. She looked to be his age so he didn't understand why she used phases from the Victorian era. Her eyes were sharp and he could see years of intelligence in them. "I don't know if it's fair that you force yourself on my boat yet I only know that your name is Blue."

"You know I like watercolour," Blue pointed out but knew that wouldn't satisfy him. He was a scientist and not knowing something bothered him. She originally wanted to talk to a human out of pure curiosity since he saved her when there was no danger of her drowning. She was immortal and creating fish under the ocean. But the gesture touched her so she found herself saying. "I have a brother name Silver."

Green wasn't expecting her to answer so he looked up at her in shock. She went on and smiled brightly at him. "My friend Yellow also likes to fish but I've never caught one before. I like sitting on your boat and being surrounded by my work. It's just so peaceful here on your boat and I can work without any distractions. It's also funny when you scowl at me. Is there anything else you wanted to know?"

"I have a question if he doesn't!" A yell interrupted what Green wanted to say. Green jumped back when it seemed like a man fell from the sky and landed on his boat between him and Blue. He gapped at how the man's fall slowed until he was floating above his boat, facing Blue. "Do you think I can stay with you while I'm on earth looking for a muse?"

"What are you doing here Gold?" Blue couldn't see Green behind Gold's mantle but she could very well imagine his shock at his sudden appearance. She knew Gold didn't think of consequences very often but this was too far! Didn't he realize that he appeared before a human while they were supposed to keep their powers a secret? She would have to repaint Green's memory of the instance.

Gold finally noticed Green and quickly pulled out his paintbrush. He tapped the boat, stopping time and creating an illusion around them. Blue looked annoyed for a reason Gold didn't understand. He didn't think he was interrupting anything and it was easy to rewrite human memories. Blue was usually easy going like him so he didn't understand when she reminded him. "You're supposed to be painting the stars right now so why are you here?"

"Don't worry I'll go back to painting them right after I find my muse! I think a change of scenery will help the slump I'm in and all I need is a place to stay. I already talked to Silver about it and it's not like I'm going to stop painting all together. I can't paint the way I am right now so please help another artist out! It'll be a month at the most."

Blue sighed and thought over it for a moment. She had been living among the humans for years now but her apartment was small and wouldn't be able to accommodate more than her and Yellow. There was also the risk that Gold would reveal his power since he hadn't been among the humans in such a long time- ever since he granted his last wish.

"I want to help you but we don't have room for one more person. The landlady has a maximum on the amount of people we can have," Blue explained. "But I can help you find a place to stay if you're willing to find a job to pay for it. If you spend more time on earth you could probably find a friend who'll take you in as long as you're careful to not show them your power."

"Find a friend?" Gold repeated and thought over the option. "That's it! I know who to turn to. If you or Silver needs to find me then you can find me at this address."

* * *

The soft singing of the birds woke Crystal but she didn't immediately sit up. Her head felt heavy since she barely slept the previous night. The strange dream she had felt all too real and it kept replaying in her mind. Could it really be a dream?

Crystal shook off the nothing and forced herself to sit up. She worked at a planetarium but had late hours so she didn't need to wake early. But she didn't want to stay in bed for so long and forced herself to sit up. She started to get ready for the day when her reflection caught her eye. She ran to her mirror in shock and touched her reflection.

She was wearing star shaped earrings…

Thoughts raced through Crystal's mind and she was so distracted that she didn't notice something land on her balcony. It took several knocks on the glass door to catch her attention and she turned to see the very man that caused her questions. He smiled to her as he started to write something on the glass door.

"Hey can I stay with you for a while?"

* * *

**I have to admit that I'm better at writing fantasy and paranormal than I am with contemporary. I had trouble writing **_**Seasons**_** and now I'm having trouble with **_**Stolen**_**. I just lost interest in **_**A Stolen Heart**_** but I'm still going back and forth writing the other three books in the series since they still interest me. They're on hiatus at the moment until I decide if I want to finish.**

**Until I make a decision I'm going to write this AU that I've been interested in for a long time now. I liked this concept from the start and I'm excited to start this! This will involve the usual ships but I'm going to focus on Mangaquestshiping. The other shippings (SoulSilvershipping, Specialshipping, and Oldrivalshipping) will appear more in later chapters.**


	2. May I Stay?

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or any of the characters**

* * *

Gold continued to knock on the glass door but the woman he met the previous night continued to gawk at him. He thought about making a little quip to her to see her reaction but he didn't know if she could hear him through the glass door. He hadn't been on earth for centuries but was sure that they couldn't have been different from that time or how they were portrayed on television.

She didn't make a move to let him in and he didn't know if it was a good decision to ask for her help. The only other place he could think of to stay was with Red who trained in the mountains. The last time Gold went with him to the train, he became sore for weeks and since he didn't want a repeat of that so tried once again to get her attention. "Can you let me in now? It's getting kinda cold out here."

Crystal started to panic when he took out his paintbrush and started to paint a key in the sky. The last time he painted something, it became tangible and she didn't want to risk him entering her home even if she was in a craze dream. She rushed forward and held the doorknob so that he wouldn't be able to open the door even if he had a key.

With her free hand, she took out her cell phone to call the police. Gold saw the panic in her eyes and knew that she must've been trying to call someone. He didn't want too many people to know about him and risk people finding about his powers so phased through the glass. She was too shocked to react as he took the phone from her hand and canceled the call.

"Sorry for intruding but I don't want the gods to know about me being here and causing a panic won't help. As a gentleman I wanted to wait for you to open the door before I enter but as an artist I don't want the gods to send me back before I find my muse." Gold explained but she didn't look convinced as she moved to kick him again.

She was shocked when he didn't try to dodge her kick and let her strike his temple. After a moment she eased herself away from him and stood a safe distance from him. He looked amuse as he leaned back against the glass door. Crystal was glad that Lyra left early for her meeting with her publisher and wouldn't be in danger of what that man was capable of.

"Why didn't you block?" Crystal asked hesitantly. It was obvious that he was strong but what worried her more was that his behaviour was far from the norm. On top of that he had the strangest powers that broke all laws of physics. She didn't understand how they worked and a part of her didn't want to know about it and go on in blissful ignorance.

"You seemed angry and you have every right to be. If it helps you can kick me all you want," Gold closed the space between them and reached out to ruffle her hair. He stopped when she stepped away from him and he could read the anger and confusion in her eyes. People were so different than they were a millennium ago when they believed in magic.

"Let's start over. My name's Gold and I'm an artist for the gods." He held out his hand to her but she didn't take it. Who in their right mind would? If he told his story before she saw his power, she would've called him insane. Now she wondered if she was the insane one. "I was just hoping that I can stay here while I look for my muse. I promise that I'll help anyway I can!"

"This isn't a boarding house," She couldn't believe that she was having a conversation with the man instead of rightly kicking him out of her home. He looked perfectly relaxed as he sat on her bed and took out his paintbrush. He said something about finding a muse and painting the stars again but how much could she believe? "Do you really paint the stars?"

"You're wearing them now, aren't you?" He smiled as he glanced at the earrings. While Gold said that they were rushed he considered them more beautiful than any of the works he did of recent. All he ever wanted to do was paint. He knew that was his passion when the gods placed a paintbrush in his hands. All he had to do was find that passion again.

"I promise that I won't stay too long and you won't even notice I'm here. I just need a place to stay while I explore this world a little more. Then I can go back to painting the stars. If I don't then they'll fade away forever." He tried to reason with her and her head came up when he said that the stars she loved could disappear. "I'll grant you any wish-"

"So let's say by some miracle I believe you," She interrupted. "My sister lives with me too and I'm not going to risk her safety. You're going to explain everything about your powers to me so I can make a decision. And _if_ I do let you stay, you're not allowed to use your powers. Do we have an understanding?"

"Man you're serious," Gold sighed. Most of the other painters were laid back and Crystal was different from the other women in his life. He didn't know if that was a good thing but it amused him at least. "Ask me anything you want to."

"What exactly are you and why did you appear in front of me last night?" She asked first though there were a large number of questions she wanted to ask. She deciphered some understanding of his powers through little remarks he made but she didn't understand them fully and doubted that she ever would.

"I'm a painter for the gods and I help creature earth's natural beauty. The gods had more fun playing with you humans than creating something beautiful so they tasked artist with the job. In trade for eternal servitude, we get to create what we love for that eternity. I was tasked with painting the stars with acrylic. There are others besides me but we're scattered around and between the worlds."

"But why did you come to my balcony? If your job is to create stars there is no reason for you to interact with us humans. Why paint me these earrings and scare me like you did last night! Do you know what can happen if people find about your powers? Why risk angering gods by granting wishes?"

"Firstly I'm human too, I just became immortal and given these powers." Gold pointed out. "And like hell I'm going to do everything those old geezers tell me. I'll paint what I want and talk to who I want. I like to grant wishes because I can make people happy with my art. When someone interacts with my art I can feel it here and I'm not going to ignore the feelings of those people."

Gold placed a hand over his heart and she wondered why he had a sad smile on his face. "I'm losing my touch with painting and if I can't paint… I don't know what'll happen to me. I would've painted all those stars for nothing. Can't you just take pity on this lowly painter?"

Crystal was silent for a moment and he was sure that she was going to throw him out of her home and he would have to look for another place to stay. She sighed and touched the earrings he painted. "Not a word about your powers to my sister. You can stay here but if you involve us in any of your strange power, the wraths of the gods will the least of your problems."

"I knew I could rely on you, Super Serious Gal!" Gold jumped up and hugged her. "I promise I'll paint you whatever you wish in return. I'm your wishing star after all."

"My name's Crystal, so don't call me by any nicknames. God, I'm already regretting my decision." She forced herself out of his arms. She thought over things she could tell Lyra to explain Gold's presence. They only had one guestroom and hopefully he was telling the truth when he said that he would be outside the house mostly.

"To becoming roommates," Gold held out his paint brush to her and the gold paint that fell on the floor became marigolds. "Let's be friends!"

* * *

Lyra walked leisurely along the riverbank as she did every day. And like every day, she saw that familiar stranger standing on the bridge above her. They never traded a word but she always noticed him by the strange way he always twirled a chalk in his hands. The setting sun shined behind him and his auburn hair seemed to burn like fire. But what always made her stop was how lonely he looked.

She didn't know why he was always there but the author in her couldn't help but make a story for him. In her story he was a mournful man who lost a loved one on that bridge. Lost in despair, he didn't notice anyone around him. Every time she saw him, she thought of another story for him since she knew that he would never actually tell her his story.

For the first time since she saw him, he looked down from the cloudy sky and she jumped back into the shadows of the bridge. His eyes didn't rest on her but the river and she was glad he didn't notice her. He would most likely think she was crazy by the way she was staring at him. She risked another look at him and saw that he was once again staring at the sky but was talking on his phone.

"I should've never gone along with that idiot's plan," Silver groaned. He was talking to his sister, Blue, who told him that Gold was staying at a human's home. What was he thinking being so close to a human? If he revealed his power to a human, the gods would strip him of his power and Gold could die. "I'll drag him back before he can do anything stupid."

After Blue told him the address, he started to climb over the rail so he could fly. He was about to pull his mantle around him to hide himself from humans eyes but before he could he felt two small arms wrap around his waist. Shocked, he looked back to see two fawn eyes plead to him. "Please don't jump! You have so much to live for even if she's not here anymore."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Silver asked. He thought that he was alone on the bridge since not many people used it and he cursed his carelessness because now he had to deal with the woman clinging to him. The woman most likely thought he was going to jump by the way she was trying to pull him away from the edge. "I'll get off the ledge so just let go of me!"

The strength of a human was nothing compared to an artist of the gods but he couldn't fight her. He hadn't interacted with humans in a long while but he couldn't remember them being this persistent towards a stranger. He tried to step off the ledge but stumbled as she continued to pull at him. Too late he realized that they were starting to fall over the ledge.

Swearing, he turned his body so that he was facing the sky. He couldn't fly without revealing his power but he could slow their fall so she wouldn't die. With one arm, he held the woman close to his side so she wouldn't see him draw and with his free hand he started to draw a giant dove with his chalk. He grabbed onto its foot to stop their fall but since his chalk was meant to create animals, the bird started to fade.

Luckily they were already close to the river by the time the dove faded. He took the blunt of their fall and swore as he tried to keep her head above the water despite how she was flailing. If he wasn't immortal human women would be the death of him! He stood and forced her to do the same with an arm around her waist, "You're alive so you can stop screaming now!"

"We're alive?" Silver twitched at how her attitude suddenly changed and she stared down at her body in shock. She touched her beating heart and sighed in relief the sound created. Her cheeks were flushed and he couldn't help but think that she was the strangest woman he ever met. She suddenly hugged him, "And I want you to continue living too. No matter how hard life gets it's worth living."

"You know I wasn't going to jump, right?" He asked her deadpanned and she gave him a skeptical gaze which he couldn't fault. She was a human and couldn't have known that he could fly. He thought of a quick lie, "I saw a woman run beneath the bridge and I thought she could be a stalker or something so I tried to get a better look at her."

The woman flushed red and he knew that she was the one that had been watching her. He had seen her walking along the river a couple times in the past but never spoke to her. Silver never expected to trade a word with her much less their first meeting to be so strange. She was flustered already so pitied her, "I didn't see her before you tried to kill me."

"I was trying to save you!" She puffed her cheeks. How ungrateful was this man?

"Let's just forget about this and go on our way," He took her hand and pulled her out of the river. All Silver wanted to do was get away from the entire situation. She shivered once they were out of the river and he sighed, taking out his chalk. When she wasn't looking, he ran the chalk over the air and drew a warm wind. It was his fault she was wet and he couldn't have her catching a cold.

A warmth surrounded Lyra and she wondered how there could be a warm breeze on an autumn day. She tilted a look at him as he tried to use his phone that was an unfortunate casualty of their fall in the river. "First I can't contact Gold then some crazy girl attacks me and now I can't contact my sister. Can this day get any worse?"

"I'm not crazy!" She grabbed his mantle when he started to walk away. "And I'm really sorry about your phone but I think I can help you. My house isn't far from here and you can use my home phone to call your sister. You'll be able to dry yourself there too! Please let me repay you for all the trouble I caused with this misunderstanding."

"Haven't your mother teach you about stranger safety? You don't know me yet you're inviting me into your home." Silver pointed out and she looked at the floor reminded of all the times her sister chastised her for being so trusting. He saw the disappointment no her face and sighed. "You can repay me by showing me where I can find this address my friend's staying at."

Her eyes widened when he told her the address. "That's my home! Do you know Crystal or something? I'm sure she would've told me if someone was going to come over today. Oh well any friend of Crystal is my friend too! My name's Lyra. What's yours?"

"Silver," He answered with a groan. She must've taken his answer as a sign to lead him to her home since she took his hand and dragged him away. He cursed Gold as he followed her and muttered beneath his breath. "Why do you always drag me into your plans Gold? I better not regret this."

* * *

"Lyra should be back by now," Crystal noted worriedly. She kept looking out the window, waiting to see her sister turn around the corner. Her sister liked to take walks to find inspirations for her stories but she was never this late getting him. She had tried to call Lyra but she didn't answer which made Crystal worry all the more.

"Is your sister as serious as you are?" Gold asked as he looked over the photos on Lyra's writing desk. She quickly pulled him away since she didn't want him to read Lyra's work without her permission. He said that he wouldn't be staying at the house for long but he hadn't left to find his muse yet. Was she making the wrong decision by letting him stay?

"You said that you're not going to stay here for long so I don't know if you should bother with getting to know us too well. Just remember the story. You're an old friend from college that's between jobs and you're going to stay here until you find a job."

"I got it," she didn't know if he was actually listening to her since his eyes were focused on the photos. He pulled out a canvas from his mantle and she wondered about the limits to his power since he seemed to pull out an endless amount of art supplies from the cape. He started to sketch an outline for a portrait but the moment he tried to use acrylic, the colours didn't come out as he wanted.

"Man this isn't working," Gold sighed and threw the unfinished painting onto the couch. Crystal picked it up and saw that it was of a two angels separated by the Milky Way. It was beautiful but there was something different about it. When she looked up at the night sky, she felt inspired by its beauty but there seemed to a passion missing from the stars on the canvas.

"Do you know a good place to eat?" He asked her. "I can't really draw on an empty stomach. I'm sure that if I eat some really good it'll become my muse! I haven't had cookies in so long so let's go to the nearest bakery!"

"I didn't think that there was any merit to the phase 'a way to a man's heart is through his stomach'." Crystal had to smile at how his boyish smile lit his face as he reminisced about the treat and the old bakery he visited in the past. "I'll take you to the bakery in town tomorrow but you can't go dress like that. You'll attract too much attention."

"But these are the only clothes I have," Gold lifted his mantle for her to see the plain clothes he was wearing beneath. He could create clothes for himself but an idea appeared in his mind. "How about we go shopping together? You can show me around town and I can interact with more people! Surely one of them can give me some inspiration."

"It'll have to be tomorrow since I have to work at the planetarium tonight." Crystal checked the time and saw that she would have to leave in another hour. She didn't want to leave Gold alone with her sister but she didn't know what would happen if she brought him to her work. She was weighing the options when the door burst open and her sister strolled in.

"Crystal! I bumped into your friend Silver while on my walk." Crystal twitched when the man appeared behind her sister and she knew exactly who he was by the gray mantle he was wearing. It was the same as Gold's and the stranger looked right pass her to him. Lyra noticed Gold too and asked, "Who's this? I didn't know you'll have this many guests."

"This is Gold," Crystal introduced the two with the story they agreed on. She was worried about how quiet the man beside her was since he hadn't say a word since he enter but his eyes were so sharp that it could cut through steel. Gold didn't seem put off but Silver as he easily placed an arm around the man's shoulder and laughed.

"I thought you were too serious to bother with human company but here you are with this little one. Looks like you're becoming more like me and Blue!" Gold said confidently and Silver twitched at the assumption because he knew his friend would never let up from now on. The woman seemed to be a never ending source of trouble. "Are you going to stay with us?"

"I was just checking to see if you're actually working and not goofing off. I have no intention of angering our bosses like you do," Silver muttered careful not to say anything strange in front of two humans. "Blue told me that you were living here. You really need to get a cellphone so we can contact each other easier. Our usual way isn't going to be helpful around humans."

"Don't worry Crystal and I are going to go shopping tomorrow so I'll get everything I need then." Gold said to calm Silver's worries. While his words were harsh, Gold knew that Silver was only worrying about him. Lyra must've been confused about their conversation since she looked at them dumbfounded. "Crystal told me a lot about you Lyra."

While Lyra haven't heard Crystal say a word about Gold, she was sure that he was kind since her trusted him enough to stay in her house. It confused her when he said, "Can you do me a favour Lyra? Look at the clouds, pick out your favourite one and make a wish. I have a feeling that someone will grant your wish if you do."

"I thought that only worked on stars," Lyra tilted her head towards the window. It was late but the moon reflected on the light clouds. She always liked watching the clouds during the day but she never looked at them during the night. "The clouds sure are beautiful tonight though. I don't remember the last time I've seen so many without it turning the sky gray. 'Kay I'll make a wish. I wish-"

"Gold you know better than to play with humans. It's not right when the gods do it and it's not right when you do it." Silver snapped before she could make her wish. While Gold was the first to grant wishes, the others started to do the same after a while. Of course stars were the most popular things to wish upon and that didn't bother him.

"I just want you to have as much fun as me some time. You need to loosen up," Gold patted his shoulder. He always found it ironic that everything from Silver's attitude to his name didn't match the clouds he drew. "Maybe a little down time will help you too Silver."

"If you want you can stay here for dinner," Crystal offered. She had to leave for work soon and Silver was a good scapegoat. From watching their exchange she could tell that he was an artist for the gods but took his job much more seriously than Gold. Hopefully Silver would keep him from involving Lyra. "I need to be going soon but you guys can enjoy yourselves."

"Where are you going?" Gold asked her while Lyra only nodded. Crystal's job required her to work nights and Lyra was used to the lonely nights without company. "If you're taking a walk I'll come with you. It's not safe for a pretty lady to walk around in the dark."

"I'm going to work," Crystal answered quickly since she was slightly flustered at his easy compliment. She was sure he said similar things to other woman and told herself not to look too much into the word. "And my work's not far so you don't need to worry about me. I'll just be charting more stars so you'll be bored if you do come."

"I want to see how other people study my stars. Maybe I'll find inspiration by seeing it through different eyes!" He pleaded and she could see how passionate he became at the mention of his stars. She was conflicted since she didn't want to leave her sister alone with another artist of the gods.

Another part of her reason that Silver would leave once Gold did and Lyra could take care of herself. She also knew the sooner Gold found his muse, the sooner he would go back to painting the stars. The longer he stayed on earth the more likely her stars would fade and the gods would become suspicious. With a sigh, she answered.

"Fine you can come but don't cause too much trouble." Gold smiled impishly at her request and she didn't know if she signed her own star-crossed fate.

* * *

**To be honest, this isn't going to be very long because I don't want this to be an epic adventure but a small down to earth story with a fantasy twist. I want to talk about art and what it means to me and other issues people might have. The other shippings will appear but I just had fun with SoulSilvershipping.**

**When this is over I'll probably write Stolen Splendor (I already have the first chapter written since I was in a specialshipping mood at the time :P)**


	3. Cold Stars

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or any of the characters**

* * *

"Gold you get down here!" Crystal screamed as she chased after him. She knew she was going to regret the decision but hoped that she would be able to keep him from using his powers. She was wrong. He continued to walk on the air, leaving a trail of acrylic paint behind him that blended into the sky to create a stream of star dust.

"You're no fun SuperSerious Gal. How 'bout you come up here with me?" Gold held out his hand to her but she didn't take it. She didn't know what would happen if she took his hand. She didn't even know the full extent of his power to predict what he could do. While his smile was easy and attractive, his carefree attitude didn't fit into her well design life.

"If you don't listen to me then I'll throw you out on the street!" She threatened and he turned sharply to her. He looked into her eyes to see if she was serious and debated how much he could tease her. She let out a relieved breath when he drifted down from the ground to walk beside her. "I want to help you but you're making it difficult for me."

"I am the least difficult person I know," Gold pretended to be offended but couldn't keep a fake grimace on his face for long and burst out laughing. He was never overly serious and thought that he worked best when he was relaxed. Why work on something unless he enjoyed it? "I already said that I'm not going to cause you too much trouble and I always keep my promises."

"I think the problem is that we have a different definition of what 'too far' is." Crystal said under her breath. He only shrugged and placed his hands on the back of his head as if he didn't have a care in the world. She studied his profile as they walked and wondered what he was thinking as he was looking up at the sky. "May I ask you something?"

"You just did sweetie," His words weren't condescending like she thought the phase would be, instead they were teasing. He smiled and she could only flush. She didn't know why a smile so easily given was also warm. It shouldn't affect her as much as it was doing now and she told herself that it was nothing more than her base nature getting the best of her. "Don't be so silent. What did you want to ask?"

"I wanted to know what inspired you to paint the stars. I can't imagine a world without them and here I am talking to the man that created them. If you stop painting them, what will happen?" Crystal clutched her hands around her bag and stared up at the sky. For the first time she looked up at the sky, she thought she saw strokes of gold paint edging them.

Gold saw the sparkle in her eyes and wondered if he would ever paint a star as beautiful as the ones in her eyes. Her happiness was pure and it was his stars that made them. He needed to find his muse soon so she won't lose those stars. The gods could easily find another painter to replace him but he would be damned before he let anyone paint the stars he created.

"The gods were the first to create the beauty of this world," He told her truthfully since she looked so worried. He might hate the thought of someone else painting his stars but she might take comfort in it because she wouldn't lose her stars. "Once they lost interest in creating things, they pushed the duty onto a selected few. Every time a painter lose inspiration, they just find another painter to replace them. So there will always be someone to paint the sky."

"But I'll know that they're not the stars I love," Crystal whispered so low that an ordinary human wouldn't have heard her but he did. He remembered the chart of stars in her room and wondered what caused her to be so dedicated to capturing each one. Even if she was very different than him, she had the same goal he had when he was human. The stars made him happy so he tried to capture them with his paint.

But now they didn't do anything for him. What had changed between then and now? Gold wasn't one to think too deeply on his emotions until they became too overwhelming so tried to distract himself from them. He placed his arm around her and purposely leaned closer to her. "Could it be that you're falling in love with me, SuperSerious Gal?"

"How can something as beautiful as the stars be made by such an arrogant man?" Crystal pushed his arm away. It amused him that he could tease a reaction out of her so easily and how she tried to hide it made him want to do it all the more. Even when he was human he didn't understand why others would try to restrain something as simple as emotions.

"And there's little chance of me falling in love with some strange man that paint stars in the sky. I like my life normal," She crossed her arms and Gold resisted telling her that she invited him to her work. Of course he invited himself and he didn't want to take her kindness for granted. "I thought you said that you wouldn't cause me trouble while you're staying at my house."

"I'll make it up to you I promise! Since you're taking me to your work I'll take you to this really nice restaurant. Whenever I granted a wish in the past, I would visit this restaurant afterwards. I've travelled all around the world but I never tasted soba better than theirs." Gold offered and she didn't know if she should accept.

Firstly, he said that he hadn't visited earth or grant wishes in centuries so the restaurant he might not exist anymore. Then there was the problem of if she had the time to go out to eat since she had a lot of things to do. She looked back to Gold who was still waiting for her answer. She didn't know how he was able to rock back on his heels as he walked but he looked as if he didn't have a care in the world.

"It doesn't have to be tonight," He could see that she was hesitating so tried to reassure her. "I just wanna do something nice for you since you're doing so much for me. I haven't granted a wish in so long and I'm glad that it was you. If it wasn't for your wish, I wouldn't have the opportunity to hide out down here and try to find my muse."

"I don't think I really did anything," Crystal shrugged and he could tell that she meant it by how indifferent her eyes were. She might love his stars but she didn't know how much they meant to him. He wondered if she would ever know what the chance she was giving him meant. "It was really Lyra who made that wish."

"Oh," He didn't know why he was disappointed at the confession since the result was the same. She didn't call on him so it was truly the stars she saw. Not the man. But that was what the gods saw of him too and he was beginning to think that the only ones that understood him were his friends. "I'm here anyways so I still have something to be grateful for."

They walked in silence for a moment and she wondered why he was now walking a respectable distance from her. While their one night wasn't enough to know him entirely, he seemed to be quieter than usual and she wondered if something was on his mind. She didn't know if her answer was the reason but said, "I'm glad that you granted her wish though. Lyra was always better with words than I am."

"I think you're pretty good with them." Gold's shoulders seemed to relax and his smile lightened her heart. "If anything your kick says a heck of a lot when we first met. No one has ever told me to back off that loudly in my life. I've been called a lot of things but I think that was the first time I've ever been called a delinquent before."

"No one?" She echoed in disbelief. He seemed perfectly comfortable with disobeying the gods so she could only guessed what mischief he had committed over the centuries. She only recently met Silver but from his annoyed reaction towards Gold it seemed that he had to put up with Gold's behaviour for years. "You honestly want me to believe that?"

"There was this one kid," Gold laughed at the memory. "It was the very first wish I've ever granted. Ungrateful kid thought I was breaking into his home and pulled a knife on me! Your time is so much different from his."

"What made you start granting wishes?" Crystal asked out of curiosity. She wondered how the custom of granting stars started and this seemed to be the best source to ask. The boy must've wished for something incredible if it inspired Gold to grant it. To her surprise he didn't elaborate and simply shrugged his shoulder instead.

"Boredom." He answered shortly.

"There must be more than that," She pushed him. It was unusual for her to push people for an answer and was something her sister would do. But she found herself curious about the man and wanted to know more about him. He was staring up at the stars and he dangled his paintbrush from the edge of fingers as if he was about to paint he didn't.

"I'm a simple guy," Gold knew that he must be disappointing her but that was the only answer he could give since it was the truth. He had granted as many wishes as he had painted the stars but neither seemed to make him or others happy. He was just a simple man that wanted to paint.

"Well I hope that you won't get too bored while I work because we're here." Crystal said and he looked up at the large building. While it looked cold and dead to him, Crystal's eyes lightened at the sight of it. It was the outside that excite her but it was the inside that inspired her. "Now remember your promise to not bother anyone. If they ask you-"

"I can make myself invisible so you don't have to nag me." He twirled his paintbrush in his hand and laughed as if she was forgetting the obvious. She rolled his eyes since he was quickly becoming accustomed to his behaviour. While she was becoming close to him, she wasn't any closer to understanding his power or their origins. "I'll be a squeaky clean boy scout."

"Why do I feel like you're lying through your teeths?" She mumbled but he didn't look at all insulted by her words. He merely painted the air around him until she couldn't see him anymore. She didn't know if that was better than him being visible because she could only imagine the trouble he would cause being invisible. By God he was the kind of person that would do something like that.

She would feel better if she could see him so she could stop him if he did try and wished for a way to see him. She was shocked when she felt a warm hand on her cheek. Crystal started to back away before she felt him brush his paintbrush over her temple. She closed her eyes and when she opened them she found herself staring into Gold's tawny eyes.

"There," He grinned down at her and touched the glasses he painted for her. He didn't know why but he had been able to read her thoughts even if they were a low hum in his heart. Was it because she had such a connection to his stars that she didn't need them present to make a connection to him? "Those glasses should allow you to see painters even if they create a barrier around themselves."

"Thank you," She touched the constellation he painted to create the glasses. She could feel the heat of each individual star as she took them from her face to study the golden glasses. They were beautiful and shew as shocked that it could be so detailed when he painted it in mere seconds. "I thought that a guy like you would like the advantage."

"It hurts to think that you think so little of me," Gold pouted and placed an arm around her shoulder as he faked a sob. She slapped away his hand when it started to move towards her chest. He kept going back and forth between being kind and being unbearable. "Now let's check out your telescope thing. Maybe that hunk of junk will become my muse."

"Hunk of junk?" She snapped. How dare he call a million dollar telescope a 'hunk of junk'? It was the pride of the planetarium. The only way he could've insulted her more was to call the telescope she made something insulting. "That equipment is the only way we can study the stars without endangering astronauts' lives. It is not junk."

He didn't know that she would be so offended and winced. He never understood technology since he found that it complicated lives as much as it made the world easier. It also made it difficult to see his stars during the night. "If you want to see my stars more clearly, I can always take you to see them myself. I don't know what Red would think about people changing his metal into these cold things."

"You really need to listen to yourself before you talk because you can come off as rather rude," Crystal told him and he shrugged. Gold had never been the one to refrain from saying what was on his mind. He watched her turn away from him and entered the large building. "I need to get to work and I can't stay out here arguing with you."

He had to admit that he was curious about what was inside the building since she said she studied the stars there. He tried to stay silent as he walked down the hall behind her but he found himself curious about the human technology around them. Sure he didn't' like how humans were changing the nature painters created but he wondered how they work.

"What's in that room?" He asked and pointed to where a large number of people leaving. Some looked rather happy while others looked bored so he wondered what was in the room that caused such mixed reactions. Even before she answered, he started to walk towards the room but stopped at the door since he didn't know why there were so many seats in one place.

"That's the projector room where we show people the stars and planets," She answered him and stood next to him. She could see the intrigue in her eyes and hoped that this was a chance to quell his mischievous nature. "We're going to have another showing soon. Do you want to watch? Maybe this is the chance you've been looking for."

"Will you watch it with me?" He took her hand even before she answered and started to pull her inside but she shook her head.

"I need to work but I'll come back in a little while to check on you. This is our last show for tonight so there aren't a lot of people here." She told him and he didn't know why he was disappointed since her reason was perfectly logical. He wanted to hear her opinions on his stars during the show but he couldn't pull her away from her work.

"How am I ever going to survive without you?" He teased and she smiled weakly in response. He was becoming increasingly difficult and she wondered if she would be able to handle him. She motioned for him to sit in one of the plush seats and hoped that he wouldn't cause trouble while she was away. She looked back to see Gold staring blankly at the ceiling as she left.

The show started and the room dimmed before shining to life again. His didn't know how but he found himself in the middle of stars without going back to his home. The lights and colours were vibrant to the point that they looked like fairy dust. There was no denying that the detail was almost perfect and he could recognize his work easily despite it being a human replica.

Yet he found it cold.

The stars were cold and calculated with no heart. A mere mirror of his night sky was all he saw. He thought back to Crystal's simple star chart that held far more love than this flashy display. He was almost insulted that her simple pen and paper copy was better than this display and took out his paintbrush to correct the stars around him.

He raised his paintbrush to the sky but then something stopped him. Fear. Will he lose inspiration until he merely painted cold stars as well? Was this what his stars would become?

* * *

"Why is it every time I go back to the human world I end up here," Red sighed. He was sitting in a jail cell. Again. All he did was ask for directions and tried to use his carving knife to create something to repay them for their kindness.

He hadn't come down from his mountain in centuries but the gods had finally given him a task outside of creating carvings in stone. So it wasn't a surprise when he got lost but what shocked him was the fact that he was arrested for doing so. Whenever he was forced to leave his mountain, people seemed determined to keep him caged in a cell.

He was even more disconnected from the world than Gold was. While Gold stayed in the night sky to create the stars, he was able to watch the humans from his perch even if he couldn't interact with them. Red often stayed in the mountains where he carved sculptures with his knife so didn't know the norms of the human world.

Red sighed and leaned back against the cold stone wall. He was powerless at the moment since the police had taken his mantle and carving knife. He didn't want to hurt them and thought they were trying to help him so went along with their demands. He could escape with the minuscule power he had left but that would attract too much attention and anger the gods.

"Someone came and paid your bail," Red looked up to see one of the officers address him. He didn't know who it was since he didn't call anyone and planned to wait until it was night to escape. Once he exited the cell, he smelled a familiar scent and walked past the officer to the front desk where the scent was strongest.

"Red!" He smiled at the sight of the woman before him, Yellow. He hadn't seen any of the other painters in so long and seeing a familiar face after being alone in a cell was a comfort. His art required him to create rocks and stones so he stayed in the mountains while the others had their own home such as Blue who stayed near the sea and Yellow who stayed near the forest.

It had been so long since he seen her and he didn't realize how much he missed her until he smelt her soft scent. She smelled like paper and charcoal, a smell he never thought would be a comfort to a simple mountain man like himself. But she always had that effect on him, the sense of coming home. He cared for the others painter but he was always closest with Yellow.

"I thought Blue and I told you not to use your knife while you're around humans," She whispered softly so the officer wouldn't be able to hear them but Red could hear the worry in her voice. She made sure the officers weren't watching them when she held out his knife to him. "I knew they would take it from you so I had Blue steal it back for you."

"Thank you," Red nodded and took back his knife. He knew that she was much too innocent to steal it herself and remembering her other acts of kindness made him smile. He always admired her since she was powerful yet kind. While some called her weak he thought her powerful. "Where is Blue? I thought she would be here as well."

"She came to steal back your knife but then left since the gods called for her. Blue really wanted to see you but the gods has been monitoring her watercolour art more than usual." She realized that despite their attempts to whisper, the officers were starting to pay attention to them. "Maybe we should go back to the house Blue and I stay at so we can talk in private."

Red nodded and once they left the station they quickly went into an alley to use their powers. Yellow didn't usually wear her mantle in town since it attracted too much attention. If she needed to use her powers she still had her charcoal in her bag. She breathed in quickly when Red pulled her closer to him and wrapped his mantle around them both.

The world became dark for a moment but when he pulled away from her, she found herself in her forest. He was always able to find her forest easily and knew that she lived in an apartment not far from it. He didn't know if it was dangerous to teleport closer to her home but had to admit that he enjoyed being in her forest so didn't mind walking the distance to her home.

"Are you okay?" He asked when she staggered back from him and placed a gentle hand on her arm. She blushed at the touch but told herself not to become nervous. Red was her friend so she shouldn't be anxious around him but it seemed like he always evoked an unnamed emotion in her. He looked relieved when she nodded but told herself that any caring friend would look the same.

"It's been awhile since we've been in this forest," He reminisced for a moment before he remembered what the reason he came down for the mountain.

Red wished that it was because he had the time to visit since it would give him more times to spend with his friends but that wasn't the case. He had asked Blue and Yellow for a place to stay but never told them the reason he needed to stay. They said that he couldn't stay in their apartment since there was simply no room but Blue offered to find a place for him to stay.

"You can wait in our apartment until Blue comes back. I'll make you something to eat as well," Yellow offered and he nodded. They started to walk together with a respectable distance between them that felt too far for both but neither was sure if they should close that space. "May I ask why you're looking for a place to stay? I'm glad but usually the gods won't let you come down for more than a day."

"I've been ahead of my work so they've given me another assignment." Red sighed and she wondered why he sounded so resigned. "They've been worried about Gold so one went to check on his work but found that he's been neglecting him. They know that he came down to earth but doesn't know where and they want me to find him."

Something in his voice told her that Red was keeping something from her and she feared that she already knew what it was. She knew the penalty for defying the gods and feared for Gold. She didn't say anything since she knew where he was but didn't want the gods to punish Gold. Blue had already told her about his situation and now she felt caught between wanting to help her friend.

She wrung her hands together and the guilt she felt kept her from saying anything more. The two walked on in silence and she hoped that Gold would find inspiration before she had to choose between two close friends.

* * *

**Man I don't like anonymous reviews because I can't reply to them. And what I want to say is: STOP ASKING ME FOR UPDATES. What really irritates me is when someone tells me **_**when**_** to update. I already went on a rant on my tumblr but please people don't ask me for updates because it hurts my writing more than helps it. When I feel like I'm writing to please others it feels like a job and I don't want it to become that.**


	4. Painted Lies and Truths

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or any of the characters**

* * *

Silver sat across from the human woman feeling awkward. He caught her staring at him several times and he didn't know why she was doing so. Did she suspect him of anything? It was unlikely considering how trusting she was while bringing him to the house. He wished he had the ability to read her mind because her piercing gaze was starting to drive him mad.

"So how do you know Crystal," Lyra asked for the third time. She didn't know why he never answered her questions and was beginning to become worried. While Crystal did say that she invited them to their home, Lyra could tell from her behaviour that she wasn't really comfortable. "Do you like the mash potatoes, Mr. Silver?"

"They're too sweet," He finally answered a question but she pouted at how blunt it was. She was feeding him and he had been less than entertaining the entire time. This man was very different than the one she envisioned whenever they passed each other on the bridge. Once again the world was much bleaker than the one she created in her imagination.

"I know this is awkward for you since we only just met and you feel the need to entertain me so you don't need to force yourself." Silver told her and she thought there was a hesitation in his voice. Silver was never good with conversation so hoped that Lyra would take his advice and continue in silence. By God when would Gold return so he could talk to him?

"I don't want things to be awkward if you're going to stay here." Lyra admitted. She knew that she would be pushy but she was curious about the man she thought would forever be a familiar stranger. "So let's try to get along and get to know each other better. You already know my name's Lyra Hale but I'm also an author and reporter. I use the pen name Aries when publishing."

"Your family sure like stars," Silver already noticed that she was named after a constellation and wondered if she loved the stars like her sister. He thought back to the story Gold told him about the constellation. "Do you know the lore behind your name? I find it strange that your mother would give you a name connected to such a sad lore."

"My sister loves the stars so of course I know the story of the harp." Lyra didn't know why he was looking at her with pity. The story of Orpheus and Eurydice was rather sad but she found it rather romantic that Orpheus felt so deeply about Eurydice that he would travel the underworld for her. He was able to put those emotions into his song and move so many people.

Silver saw her soft smile and wondered what she thought of the myth. He had to voice his opinion though, "Orpheus was an idiot. The fool doomed the one he loved and caused her death again. He had only one condition but his impatient caused him to lose her forever. I hope that you never love so deeply that it dooms you to death."

"There's nothing wrong with loving deeply," She frowned but Silver only raised a brow as if he hadn't expected her to argue with him. "Yes it's tragic that his love caused them to be apart forever but at least he tried to get her back. I don't know what it feels to love someone so much you'll do anything to save them. I hope that I find someone that inspires me like that one day."

"It seems like my sister has been telling me about romance all wrong," Silver chuckled at the memory of all the times his sister would try to match him with another painter. Lyra couldn't read his thoughts so thought he was laughing at her and puffed her cheeks in frustration. She always thought that she could get along anyone but Silver was making it very difficult for him.

"She keeps going on about how I need to find a woman I want to protect but apparently girls want sacrificial lambs. It's a romantic thought but if you think about it in reality it becomes sad. Survivor guilt is a very real thing. I think I know what it's like to be left behind knowing that it might as well be you that took their life."

"You do?" She looked up at him again and saw that his eyes were far away. Maybe her backstory of him losing his true love was accurate. Her mind was racing with the concept and she stood abruptly which shocked him. She leaned over the table and her wide eyes stopped him from backing away from her. "What kind of girl was she?"

"I don't know," Silver whispered. He should've known admitting that would have her barrage him with questions. In all the tragedies he faced, he never had to lose a person close to him. But in his dreams he saw a woman in white disappear before him. She always faded before he could see her face and he didn't know her but he felt that she was important to him. "Let's change the subject."

It would be one of the few times Lyra left well enough alone but he didn't look like he had any answers himself. But her curiosity still made her ask other questions. Before she could stop, Silver stopped her by pushing away his plate and standing up. "I just came to check on Gold but I really must be leaving now. I need to work and I can't be late."

"What do you do for work?" She asked even as he started to move away from her. Silver knew that he would have to see her often since he planned on keeping an eye on Gold while he was on earth. He never knew a woman with so many questions and didn't know if answering one would lead to her asking more. How had his sister been able to interact with humans while also keeping her identity a secret?

"I draw," he gave into her eyes and he could see more questions run through her head. Silver pulled his mantle around him and left before she could ask them. Lyra looked out the window to wave bye to him but froze when she saw him take out his chalk and smoky wings seemed to appear behind him. He looked around him but didn't seem to notice her duck behind the wall.

When she looked back he was gone, leaving her with questions.

* * *

Crystal leaned back against her chair and looked over her work. She was trying to write her thesis about the evolution of the stars but found herself struggling. How could she write something that went against what she knew? How could she write what she knew went against science? Life was so much easier before Gold came into her world.

Thinking of him again, she checked the monitor. She was so engrossed in her study that she didn't realize the time. The show should've been over by now and she thought he would've come to bother her by now. Crystal stood when she realized that there was no sign of him in the auditorium. She could only imagine the trouble he was planning to cause. Why wasn't she keeping better track of him?

She organized all of her things into her bag before racing out of her office to find him. But she didn't know where to look since the planetarium was so large. She just hoped that he wouldn't cause any trouble before she could find him. The other scientists didn't seem to be aware of anything strange so that was a relief to her.

Crystal went to the auditorium first to see if he left behind any clues to where he went. The show was over, leaving the auditorium empty. To her surprise she found that Gold was still sitting where she left him with an arm over his eyes. Why couldn't she see him through the monitor when she could see him clearly now?

Gold must've sensed her step towards him for he lifted his arm slightly to smile at her. "You missed me already, SuperSerious Gal? I knew you wouldn't be able to resist me and come back soon. You guys really need to improve that show. It was the most boring thing I've ever watched! How about we go out for dinner to make up for forcing me to watch that show?"

"I'm guessing it didn't give you the inspiration you were looking for?" Crystal sat next to him and thought she saw him wince for a moment before he returned to his confident smile. Something about the tension she saw in his should told her not to bring up that he was the one that wanted to watch the show. "My work is almost over so I can go home soon. Is there anything you want to show me?"

Gold thought over it for a moment and grinned up at her. "How about we just go out to eat like I suggested earlier? I can't paint anything on an empty stomach. It's a little late but I'm sure we'll find a place that's open."

"The only places open around this time at night are fast food restaurants. Maybe it's just better if we go home right now. I'm sure Lyra made something and wrapped it up for us to eat. It's what she usually does when I work late like this." Crystal suggested instead but he seemed to be thinking something over as she guided him outside.

"I've always hear of fast food and seen it from the sky but I've never tried any before. I wanna try one of those potato sticks!" He took the lead despite not knowing the layout of the building. She tried to walk fast while looking natural since she didn't want to draw any attention to herself. While she could see Gold, she knew others couldn't.

"Slow down Gold. I'll take you to eat a burger," she begged him quietly and was surprised when he led her to a window. She knew exactly what he was thinking and started to yell at him to stop but he didn't seem to hear her as he lifted her into his arms. She closed her eyes and pressed her face into the crook of his neck to prepare herself for the impact.

Gold quickly painted over the window so that it became air before he jumped through and landed gracefully on the sky. He walked on air and looked down at Crystal in his arms. He couldn't see her expression since her face was still buried against his chest. She was warm and light in his arms, two characteristic often used to describe his stars.

"Are you sure you're not falling for me?" He chuckled into her hair. She looked up to face him so quickly that their noses bumped. He laughed but it wasn't reflected in her flush face. He knew that he angered her again and was most likely going to lecture him again.

"Put me down! Why are you so reckless? I can't imagine what coworkers think of me now!" Crystal flushed even more at the thought. She didn't know how much longer her heart could take his stunts and they were barely in their first week together. "You're lucky I haven't rethought taking you to eat that burger. I still don't know if I should."

"I vote for you taking me out to eat!" Gold lowered her to the ground to gain some goodwill from her. He once again cheered his vote and placed his arm around her shoulder. Once he gave her his winning smile that shined like the stars, she found she couldn't deny him. With a sigh, she gave him direction to the nearest burger shop she knew.

"I think this is the third time you talked about eating out. So now I know your two passions are eating food and painting stars," Crystal observed to herself. As they walked, he hummed to himself since he didn't think that she would want to speak to him since she was still mad at him.

The sun was rising and his stars were overtaken by the fiery sunrise Sapphire painted. It had been a day and he spent a good part of the night staring at empty stars. If he continued like that he would never find his muse and he would've angered the gods for nothing. He vowed once again to find his muse and pushed aside the fear he secretly felt.

"That's strange," Crystal said when her phone rang and saw that it was her sister. Lyra didn't know that she was off work yet and it wasn't like her to call while she was working. It was a quick text saying that she needed to tell her something. Something in her gut told her that Lyra wanted to tell her something important. "We should get back to Lyra."

"I'm never going to get to have that dinner with you, am I?" He started to joke but saw the worry in her eyes that she quickly masked with frustration. So he took her hand once again and amended. "We'll get home quicker if I use my powers to take us home. Just don't let go my hand."

* * *

"Crystal I need to tell you something about Silver!" Lyra tried to pull her sister aside the moment she stepped into their home. Lyra stiffened when she saw Gold walk through the door as well. In her anxiousness over thinking of how to tell her sister that she witnessed Silver disappear she forgot that Gold was Silver's friend. How would they react to what she had to say?

"What's wrong Lyra?" Crystal could tell her sister was in a panic and tried to calm her. She noticed that Lyra kept looking towards Gold and wondered why his presence was suddenly making her worried. She wasn't anxious around him before. "Leave Gold! Now Lyra, take a deep breath and calm down. Did Silver do something to you?"

"He didn't do anything!" Lyra said quickly and was glad that Gold left promptly. How was she going to tell her sister even when she didn't have to worry about Gold? Her sister would think that she was crazy when she told her but she needed to. "I saw Silver have these wings before he disappeared. He was using this chalk to draw something too. I know I sound crazy but I know what I saw and it's not…"

Lyra trailed off and Crystal cursed. She was never a good liar and didn't know if she could never do so to her sister. She cursed Gold and Silver for putting her in this situation in her mind. She thought that Silver would be more responsible than Gold and keep Lyra from seeing his power. Gold had told her that the gods didn't want humans to know of their existence and worried over what would come of Lyra.

"Looks like we have a problem," They both turned sharply at Gold's voice and Crystal stiffened when she saw him pull his paintbrush from his mantle. She knew that it meant stood protectively in front of her. Gold saw the fierce spark in her eyes and lowered his paintbrush. "I don't care if the gods find out I told a human about our existence but I won't let them punish Silver for this mistake."

"I'm not going to let you hurt her! She has nothing to do with this," Crystal snapped and Gold stopped for a moment. She sincerely thought that he was going to hurt her sister. She didn't know how she would fight a painter of the gods but she would try! She would try to protect her sister.

"I'm going to protect my friend," Gold echoed her thoughts. Lyra's head raced trying to understand what they were arguing over and became more confused over Gold's next words. "If he wasn't checking up on me than he would never have revealed his power. You don't need to worry about your sister since I'm just going to repaint her memories."

"Repaint?" Lyra echoed and instinctively placed her hands over her head as if to protect herself. "Please just tell me what's going on! I don't understand."

"Maybe it's better to tell her," Crystal decided quickly. She didn't know if she should trust Gold to be anywhere near her sister. While she didn't want to pull Lyra into the world of painters, it seemed to be the lesser of two evils. At least now she could warn her sister about the dangers that could occur around them. "You can trust my sister."

"I'll talk to Silver about this," Gold placed his paintbrush in his pocket again. "Maybe you should sit down, Lyra. We have a lot to talk about."

* * *

Green looked into the water around him and wondered why he had been feeling lightheaded for the last couple of days. He felt as if he was forgetting something but every time he tried to remember something stopped him. But lately he felt calmer while he was around water and wondered if the memory was connected to the element in some way.

Telling himself he had more things to worry about than if he was forgetting something, he forced himself to concentrate and took his fishing rod from his truck. If it was really important, he wouldn't have forgotten it. He wanted to relax on his boat to clear his mind and a quiet afternoon on the lake was what he needed. It was a weekday so the lake should be mostly empty.

As he walked down the trail to the river, Green wondered if he would see Blue again. The woman did have a knack for invading his space while he was fishing. He hadn't been fishing for a while and thought that time would be a good reprieve from her meddling. Since they only met and talked when they met on the river, he had to wonder what she did when she wasn't on there.

"I told you I don't know where Gold is!" Green stopped when he heard Blue's voice. The anger in her voice was clear but there was also a tint of fear. He barely knew the woman so he had no reason to involve himself but still he worried over the equally angry voice that answered. He leaned against a tree and listened to their conversation.

Green looked in the direction of Blue's voice and saw her speaking with a man wearing a mantle similar to the one she was wearing. The man was twice her size and weight but she didn't show any sign of backing away from him. Who was the man? By the way they were yelling at each other it was clear that they weren't on friendly terms. It didn't help that it seemed the man had her corner against the river.

Green decided to wait just to make sure that she was safe. He couldn't leave but he couldn't interfere either. He could only watch from a distance, ready to interfere if things got too far. While he might know Blue on a personal basis, he didn't want her to be hurt. He couldn't hear what they were saying anymore but by their body language he knew they were still arguing.

Green jumped forward when the man grabbed her mantle and raise his other hand. "Hey, let go of her!"

"Tch, a human." The man swore and let go of Blue so abruptly that she fell back into the river. Green's heart stopped when he saw her fall into the river none too softly. He remembered how he first met her and that she didn't know how to swim. Forgetting about the man, Green jumped after her and took her hand before falling into the water with her.

Even as the water rushed around him, he pulled Blue closer to him. He just hoped that she wouldn't breathe in any water before he saved her. When he broke the surface, the man was gone but he was more worried about Blue since her mantle was quickly absorbing the water. Why did she even insist on wearing such a strange article of clothing?

"Green?" Blue said in shock and quickly tried to swim out of his arms but he kept his arm around her waist. She was sure that there weren't any humans around when she was talking to, Lance, another painter. There were so many things going through her mind and Green was another thing she would have to worry about if he became any more involved with them.

Lance had approached her asking if she knew where Gold was and she wondered if he knew that she lied to him when she said she hadn't. She thought back to Red who wanted to stay in town for a while and was starting to think it was for the best. She didn't know why but she wanted to protect her friends and it would be better if they lived near each other.

She was pushed out of her thought when Green threw her out of the water. He was breathing heavily but he found the strength to climb out of the water and pull her to her feet. Green didn't say a word as he began to pull her away from the lake but she could read the hardness of his eyes. He was angry but she didn't know why. "Where are you taking me Green?"

"To the police," He said though gritted teethes. "I know it's not my place to interfere and I don't know who he is but if you're in danger you need to contact the police. They'll protect you. Anyone who puts their hands on you like that shouldn't be in your life. I don't care if he's your boyfriend or brother-"

"Green!" She dug her feet into the ground to stop him. She knew that if he involved himself any more than he already had he would be in danger. Lance had a cool temper and followed the gods' orders with a controlled hand. Who knew what the painter would do to Gold and Green? "I'm okay and you don't need to worry about me. He was just a cousin."

Green stopped walking and turned back to her. She was stubborn but so was he and he didn't want anyone to be in a dangerous situation. He didn't know the details but he clearly saw the anger in the other man's eyes. Green took out his business card and handed it to her. "Even if you don't want to get the police's help, take mine. If there's anything you need, ask me."

Blue stared down at it and thought over his offer. She had known Green for over a year now and could read him easily. He was a good man even if he was rather rough when showing it. But it was because of that she didn't want to involve him. She had to repaint his memory of her power once already. The address was rather close to the apartment she lived at and he could be the solution she was looking for.

"He was looking for a friend of mine and I'm afraid that if Lance does find him, he'll be in danger. Is it possible for him to stay at your office for a while? At least until this whole mess blows over. Red's a good guy and the situation isn't too dangerous." Blue made up a lie on the spot. She knew that Red would keep Green from being involved in their mess.

"I expect a hell of a lot more than that as an explanation but I'll help you." Green didn't know why he was feeling protective of her but he was. "Now let's get back to my car. I have a towel there. We should dry ourselves before we catch a cold."

* * *

**I didn't want any of my anonymous readers to be offended with my last author note because I'm really not upset (and the person I was annoyed at didn't even comment to apologize like you lovely people did ^-^) My friend tells me that when I get angry I rampage but it doesn't last for long so I'm not angry. The rule of thumb for me is just people asking with a specific date in mind. When someone asks for updates I smile and go on my day. When someone tells me to update by x days I snap and bitch ^-^" Don't feel guilty for enjoying a work of fiction and being excited, just be more tactful when asking for updates.**

**On a more happy note, I really enjoyed writing this chapter :P These are like my top three ships yet they're so different from each other.**


	5. Vows and Promises

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or any of the characters**

* * *

"I don't wanna forget!" Lyra screamed as Silver walked towards her with his chalk in his hand. Her sister had just finished explaining the true reason Gold was staying with him and what he was when Silver walked in. His eyes were cold when he announced that he would erase her memory. He was so blunt with his words that Lyra had to step back.

"Your sister might be able to keep our secret but I doubt a woman like you will." Silver pointed out and was about to touch his chalk to her forehead when Gold grabbed his wrist. Lyra couldn't read the two thoughts but could tell they were having a silent conversation with each other. They must've known each other for a long time if they could communicate without words.

"What are we supposed to do with her then?" Silver sighed and lowered his chalk. He was already uncomfortable with one human, Crystal, knowing their secret but to have another know would be too dangerous. From his little interaction with Lyra, he knew that she spoke too freely and could alert the gods. Silver didn't understand why Gold was trying to protect her.

"Just let her be," Gold shrugged. He showed his powers to many when granting wishes but always made sure to keep his ability a secret. On the rare occasion he showed his powers to a human, they never questioned his power much and made their own explanation about him. "Now you don't need to worry about revealing your powers."

"Who thought that I'll be the one that messed up and reveal my power?" Silver sighed. Gold had to laugh at the irony too since Silver was by far the more responsible of the two. He tilted a look at Lyra gain and then to Crystal. "But since it is my mistake I'll take care of it. I'm sure my sister would nag me for not taking responsibility for this human woman."

"Lyra," Crystal and her sister corrected him at the same time. Gold knew that Silver wasn't making the best impression and quickly tried to lighten the mood. The man was blunt and cold at times but he was very kind. It just took some time for him to get comfortable enough to show that weakness to others. Gold hoped that Silver would find others to trust outside of him and Blue.

Silver was silent for a moment and studied Lyra. He went over his options before deciding what to do. He only knew Lyra for a short amount of time and it was better to be cautious. He didn't know if he could risk putting his trust in a human when the penalty for failure was so high. "May I speak with Lyra on my own before I make my decision?"

Crystal hesitated but Gold didn't since he stood and started to leave. He saw how Crystal didn't follow and reassured her. He placed a hand on her arm and pulled her to his side. "You don't need to worry about Silver. If he tries anything, I'll stop him before he does but I doubt that I'll need to. Silver wouldn't want me to tell Blue after all."

Silver flinched when Gold mentioned his sister. He hated whenever he used that threat since they both knew that Silver couldn't do anything to upset his sister. Silver nodded and Gold pulled Crystal out of the room. He didn't know what Silver wanted to say to Lyra but he knew that he wouldn't hurt her. He knew Crystal would be worried so gave her a quick smile. "Everything's okay."

"How can you say that everything's okay when my sister is going to be alone with that man?" Crystal said in a harsh whisper. She knew that if Lyra heard her concern then she would start to worry too. It would be best to keep Lyra calm through this strange situation. "What is he going to say to her that he can't say in front of us?"

"You can ask Lyra that after they finish speaking," Gold replied and she realized that he was slowly starting to walk higher in the air. He kept his eyes to the ceiling but he saw through them to the memories of their past that always made him smile. "Silver's a great guy. I wouldn't have granted his wish and made him a painter if he wasn't. He was my best friend before a fellow painter."

The way he spoke with an easy about Silver made her want to trust the two. The comradery he felt towards his friend shined through his voice and she recognized it as the same passion she felt in his star. He was an expressive man and she could read his emotion easily from everything he did whether it was through his work or through his words.

"I guess I'll trust him but if he does one thing to Lyra you're going to regret it." Crystal relented.

"You're beginning to trust me," Gold hugged her suddenly and she didn't understand why. He had a large grin as he told her. "Your trusting Silver because of what I say tells me that you trust me too. We're already great friends. I'm watching over your sister right now through the stars and if Silver does anything I'll run to her rescue."

"Thank you," Crystal placed her hand over her heart in relief. She believed him since she already knew that he could hear wishes through his stars.

Gold could read her thoughts through her eyes easily and was glad that she couldn't tell he was lying. He could see and hear people through his stars but that was only when they were interacting with his stars themselves. But he could tell that she was worried so made a white lie to lighten her worries. Silver knew better than to hurt a human.

"How do you know Silver?" Crystal asked and Gold thought of the best way to tell their bizarre story. Any way he spun the story she first think of him as the antagonist since Silver didn't have the easiest past. They had known each other for centuries now and Gold never once regretted how they met or how he gave Silver a chance.

"He made a wish in my star." Gold started after deciding to leave out most of the details. "Silver and his sister Blue were having a hard life but they still tried to pull themselves into the situation they were forced into. He made a wish that he was stronger so he could protect his family so I granted it. I put in a good word for the two and they were recruited."

Crystal could tell that there was more to their past but didn't ask him to elaborate. They would only be living together for a month so there was no reason to go into their past. But a part of her couldn't help but wonder about him the more he revealed about himself. He was compassionate to help a human like Silver and their friendship showed clearly by the way they supported each other.

She was about to voice her thought but Gold's back suddenly straighten next to her. Crystal could barely get a word out before Gold's eyes brightened and he pulled her away so quickly she almost stumbled to the ground. She quickly asked him where he was going and he gave her a grin over his shoulder. "I think I found my problem! C'mon, I want to try to paint something."

* * *

Silver looked down at the little woman that caused him to trouble within the first day of their meeting and was bound to cause more. He discreetly pulled his chalk from his pocket to draw over her memories. He didn't want to hurt her but her knowing put Blue and Gold at risk. He created this problem so he would fix it. What could her human sister do once she found out?

"Before you say anything I want to thank you for trusting me." She spoke which stopped him and he almost dropped his chalk in shock. She wanted to thank him? How naïve was this woman? Her smile was innocent as she looked up at him. "I know it's hard for my sister to keep a secret from me so I'm glad you told me before things got too far."

"You're taking the existence of painters surprisingly well." Silver observed and wondered if she was draft in the mind. Her previous behaviour would support it. He never met a person so carefree and peculiar so didn't know how react to her. He found that the only thing he related to was the love in her eyes when she spoke of her sister.

"I know this sounds weird but I've always liked the idea of magic and such. Ever since I was a child there was a small part of me that wanted things like fairy and elves to be real and I guess I never grew out of that." She looked slightly embarrassed admitting that fact and Silver worried about her. Someone as simple as her would only be disgusted by his world.

"You might not be a fairy but I'm interested in your powers. Gold explained that you create clouds with chalk and I was hoping that you'll show me! Please?" Her eyes sparkled with wonder and he gawked at how she could find his power mystifying. While magic was a romantic thought it was a power that burdened the user with responsibility.

"You see clouds every day so I don't know what point there is for me to make one for you." He started but saw the innocent plea in her eyes so relented. He ran his chalk over the air between them and drew a cloud in the shape of a dragon. He didn't know that her eyes could become any larger but they did as she watched him draw.

"A fluffy bird!" Lyra clapped and hugged the cloud the best she could without having it disperse in her arms. Silver twitched at the fact that she mistook his dragon for a bird but looking at it again it did resemble a crow slightly. While he had some talent with the chalk, he was never good at drawing clouds. "Thank you for showing me your power. I have something to say thank you."

Before Silver could tell her that there was no need, she ran out of the room. As quickly as she left, she came back into the room carrying a large jar. After adjusting her hold on the large object, Lyra took out a handful candy from it and held them out to Silver. "I know this isn't a lot but I hope you'll take them. They're really sweet and you can have as much as you want."

Silver found himself reaching out to her to take a piece of taffy from her hand. When she did, she grabbed his hand and tightened her hold. There wasn't any menacing intent in her action by the way she smiled up at him. "This is a promise to keep your secret."

She let go of his hand and Silver stared down at the small piece of candy in his hand. Lyra stared up at his with such trust in her eyes that he felt something stir within him. While she trusted him easily he couldn't find himself doing the same. He saw the darkness of human nature while he was both human and painter. There were few people he truly trusted and he didn't know if he should open his heart to one more.

He looked back to Lyra who was still smiling at him. Silver knew that he should erase her memories of his power but he found himself thinking of the warmth her hand left around his. He was being foolish but there was something familiar about her smile. Why was he hesitating after her only showing one act of kindness? An act so different from the evil he knew of humanity.

"I hope that Gold finds his inspiration," Lyra told him. Silver was beginning to wonder if she would ever let a silent moment to pass since the moment he thought their conversation ended she would move onto another topic. "I know that you must miss your friend in the sky and Gold explained that the Gods would take away his paintbrush if they found him."

They would do much worse than take away his paint, Silver knew. But he didn't want to worry her by telling her the truth. Gold obviously trusted the sisters enough but Silver didn't know if he could do the same after only one meeting. So he stepped away from her and turned to the window. "I need to go. The Gods would be suspicious if I don't return soon."

Silver lifted his chalk but didn't draw over her memories. Instead he drew on the air around to make himself invisible. He told himself that Gold didn't have anywhere else to go so it was better for him to not anger the sisters. He would have to talk to his own sister about this turn of event though. As he was flying away, he looked back at the house and saw Lyra waving bye to him.

* * *

Crystal sat on a swing set as she watched Gold paint. She didn't understand why he dragged her along without telling her. As soon as they arrived, he told her to wait on the swing for him to paint. She didn't know why he wanted her to watch but she couldn't leave him alone.

Gold was on his knees, painting the ground. He took great with every stroke and drew several stars before connecting them. His hands were becoming coated with paint but it didn't bother him since he found it nostalgic. He couldn't remember the last time he was able to paint so freely. Thinking back to when he first met Silver reminded him of a time so long ago. When painting was just painting.

"That should be it!" He stepped back until he was standing beside Crystal. He placed one hand over her eyes and with his free hand he snapped his fingers. Light burst from the paint and he felt her stiffen in his arms. Once the light began to fade and he didn't have to worry about blinding her, he dropped his hand from her eyes. "So what do you think?"

Crystal wanted to answer his question but couldn't find the words to answer him. She stared at the ground before her and the golden stars on the ground. While their shine didn't hurt her eyes, they were still bright enough to turn the night around them into a golden garden. She looked to Gold who was staring back at her expectantly for an answer.

The light faded but the stars stayed where they were. The image of two birds was burned into the ground and she stood from the swing. She knelt where Gold sat to paint and placed her hand on the paint. The white dove was standing over a wounded crow and she could imagine the myths that could from the simple picture. The light didn't burn her but they did lift from the ground.

Crystal looked up at the night sky, expecting to see the new stars, but to her surprise the stars were still their dull state. She turned to Gold to ask him what happened to the stars but something stopped him. He was staring at the two birds on his lap with sad eyes. He lifted his hand and prompted the birds into flight. He merely watched them fade away as they flew towards his stars.

"I thought I actually found it this time." Gold whispered and let himself fall backwards in defeat. He was so confident while drawing it and watching her reaction. But the moment he should've placed the stars in the sky, he held himself back. He lay on his back and stared out to the inky night sky. A sky he couldn't light up with his stars anymore. "Why can't I paint anything?"

"I think you painted something beautiful," Gold turned his head slightly to see Crystal lay down next to him. She was staring after the two birds and wondered what would become of them if they didn't become stars. They laid there in silence for a while and she could hear every sound around them though Gold's soft breathing was the sound that echoed in her ear.

"I used to paint to tell a story with them," Gold admitted. Crystal remembered all of the myths inspired by his stars. "It used to inspire me to just think of how to tell an entire story with one frame. When I first met Silver I made that was what I did so I thought I could go back to that time. I guess I need to keep looking for that muse."

"You'll find it," Crystal reassured which surprised him since she sounded so confident in him. She sat up and leaned over his face so she could look into his eyes. She wanted to read the emotions in them, to see if he had given up, but found herself captivated by the amber glow of his eyes instead. "You've painted for centuries now so you're bound to get into a slump."

"A slump?" Gold repeated. Crystal didn't know if her words held any weight since her specialty wasn't in the arts and never went through what he was currently going through. But it was the certainty in her eyes that touched Gold. More than the emotion in her eyes, it was the words she said that gave him hope for himself. _As long as you find what made you love painting again, you'll be okay_.

There were so many reason he loved painting but seeing her smile reminded him of one. It made others happy. That might not be the heart of the reason he painted but it could be a start. He would hold onto that reason until he found the reason he painted. He couldn't give up when there was even one person rooting for him.

"Let's find my muse together. When I find my reason for painting again, the first thing I make will be for you." He promised and held out his pinky to her. She couldn't do anything but wrap her pinky finger around his. To her surprise, he brought their joined fingers to his lips. She jumped back and Gold laughed at her reaction. "You're really too much SuperSerious Gal!"

"I don't think I'm the problem here!" Crystal retorted and flushed harder as he continued to laugh. He sat up though he continued to hold onto his stomach. She didn't know why her reaction made him laugh but at least he wasn't so sober anymore. There was something freeing about his smile, like his stars, that drew her to them. "But we should go home and check on Lyra."

* * *

Green studied the man that stood in front of his door. When Green agreed to help Blue by letting her friend stay at his place he didn't expect the man to be dressed so. His clothes were ragged and the only thing that appeared to be in good condition was the mantle he was wearing. What made Green worry was the knife peeking out from the man's boot.

"Hi, I'm Red!" The man in question shook Green's hand with a large smile. He didn't bother to wait for an invitation before Red walked into his home. The condo was much larger than Red thought it would be and Red never lived in such a furnished place but told himself that he could adjust quickly enough. He didn't have an option after all.

"Say hello Greenie!" A hand stopped Green from closing the door behind Red and there stood Blue with a basket of fruits. There was a blond woman with her but she seemed to be more hesitant to enter before she notice from the corner of her eye and rushed into the house. Blue stopped him from turning, "I wanted to thank you for letting Red stay here so I brought a housewarming gift."

"As long as I don't regret this decision I don't need anything. But I really want you to tell me more about what's going on. Who carries a knife with them? I'm not going to go back on my word on helping you but I'm also not going to go into a situation blind. What exactly do you want me to hide Red from?"

"I told you not to worry about it Greenie. Red just needs a place to stay while he finds someone and I can't really tell you any details since it's classified. You can say that Red works for a lot of powerful people that don't want him to know about his investigation." Blue made a half lie. She was telling fragmented truth that Green would interpret as Red being a detective.

"If he can't tell me because of his job there's no helping it." Green shrugged and Blue hoped that would be the end of the conversation. She already told Red to hide his power better around Green and not bring an innocent human into their private life. "But I have to admit he wasn't what I expected. When you said he was a rough mountain man you weren't exaggerating."

"I know he looks a little rough but he's a really nice guy at heart!" Blue quickly defended his friend thought Green didn't mean to insult him, only stating an observation. She took out a piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to him. "If things do happen I want you to call me. Or you can just call me if you start to miss me. I'll make sure to come by often now that I know where you live."

"Are you like this with everyone or do you get a special thrill from saying those things to me?" He asked but she didn't answer and laughed instead. Blue was a mysterious woman to say the least and wondered about Red. Maybe he could finally get some answers from her friend. Answers were the least he was owed, he thought.

* * *

Yellow saw Red start to walk through a wall and quickly ran forward to stop him. When she grabbed his arm, she found herself being dragged through instead. She just hoped that Blue was able to stop Green from seeing them walk through the wall.

Red felt someone hang onto his arm and turned to see Yellow. Red saw someone outside of Green's window and went out to confront him. He debated telling Yellow to go back or not since he didn't want to worry her. And she was a strong willed person so she wouldn't blindly follow his command without asking questions.

Yellow choked on her words when she followed Red's gaze to see Lance, the clay painter. He was known as one of rougher painters who followed the God's order. Lance didn't notice them yet and Red quickly pulled them into the shadows. Lance almost never came down to earth so they worried over the reason he was doing so now.

Lance stopped and turned to where Red and Yellow was hiding in the shadows. Red stiffened, knowing that it was pointless to hide from the older painter but didn't want Yellow to be dragged into a confrontation. He moved to hide Yellow beneath his mantle and stepped forward to face Lance. He hoped Yellow could read his thoughts and stay hidden from Lance.

To say that Red and Lance had a rough history was an understatement. Since the God trusted Lance so much, he was often tasked with capturing rogue painters. He often did so with a cold hand and didn't hesitate before hurting other painters if it meant accomplishing his goal. Red never agreed with Lance and their ideology constantly clashed.

Lance was the main reason Red volunteered to bring Gold back. He didn't want to force Gold to face the Gods but if he didn't then they would send Lance after him. He didn't want Gold to face the wrath of either the Gods or Lance. He hoped that telling the Gods that he would bring Gold back would allow his junior more time. Red didn't know why Gold left but he didn't want to see him punished.

"Why are you here Lance?" Red asked though in the pit of his stomach he knew why Lance came down from the God's side. "I'm going to be the one to find Gold so don't you dare hurt my friend. He may run from his responsibilities but he would never betray us. When I peacefully bring him back, I'll prove it. There is no need for you to look for him."

"But that's the reason the Gods told me to bring back Gold even if it means taking out anyone who tries to get in my way." Lance didn't try to mask who he was referring to by lowering a glare to Red. A glare so cold that Yellow could feel its chill run through her even if it wasn't directed to her. "I will be the first to find Gold and you have no say in this matter. Stand down."

"No!" Red's heart stopped when Yellow moved out from where he was trying to hide her. He swore when Yellow stubbornly stood in front of Lance and yelled. "Red and I shall be the first to find Gold but know this when we find him, neither of us will allow you or the Gods to hurt him. He deserves a chance to defend himself and _I_ will fight you on this."

Yellow rarely showed her anger but she was always one to stand up for her friend. While Red admired her passion in protecting her friend, he didn't want her to be put in danger. He couldn't read Lance's reaction for he just stepped back. "Challenge accepted, little painter."

* * *

**I should really be studying for my Finals but I don't know why inspiration just called for me to finish this and the plot bunnies won't settle down. Then again I really need to study so still no set schedule for my releases.**


	6. The Stars Leading Home

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or any of the characters**

* * *

Crystal knew that it was rude to watch someone so blatantly watch someone work but she was curious about what he was drawing. He was concentrating so intently and barely looked up from his canvas since he started drawing earlier that day. Throughout that entire time, she watched several emotions take over his face. It ranged from calm to frustration but she was able to read each emotion.

"Maybe you shouldn't be forcing yourself to draw," Crystal suggested after she saw him bite his lip for the fourth time. She had seen Lyra in a slump before but her sister never looked as scared and frustrated as Gold did now. But then again her life had never hung on her ability to create. Gold was concentrating on his canvas and didn't seem to hear her.

Crystal debated what the best way to help Gold. She thought inviting him out for a walk would clear his head but that wouldn't leave him as much time to paint. She wished they had more time to help him but that non existent clock kept pressuring them. She watched him force himself for hours now and was starting to worry about him.

"I have the day off from work so we can do something," she suggested. "I know Lyra would probably be better at helping you find inspiration for your art but I'll try. Lyra usually takes a walk to a place that makes her feel calm when she has trouble writing. Is there anywhere like that for you? You might not feel comfortable in this house just yet."

Gold looked out the window and thought about her words. Somewhere that calmed him? He had been painting in the sky for so long that he couldn't remember where or what he painted before now. Being a painter defined him longer before that title became a role the Gods placed on him but those times seemed so far away.

The Gods barely gave them time to reminisce about those times, instead giving them more duties to paint. He never liked how stifling those duties could be and first rebelled by granting wishes. Why was it that he could never finish anything he started? He gave up granting wishes after half a century and now he couldn't finish painting his starry night.

"I sometimes I forget that I was human." Gold laughed though his eyes looked rather sad. He used to visit his family often in the early days of being a painter but after watching them grow old he resigned himself to granting wishes for human interaction. He hadn't returned to his human home in so long and a part of him always stopped himself from thinking of it.

Crystal watched him and was once again reminded that she still knew so little about him. He looked human and was one long ago but he felt so far away from her. She wondered if she could save him if she got to know him better. He had so much power yet he looked so powerless now that he lost the one thing that defined him as a painter for so long: inspiration and drive.

Gold set down his canvas and Crystal looked to see what he was painting. It was of two rats playing with a much smaller one. Though it wasn't detailed or realistic, she could tell that every line was made with care. He had already made several marking where he intended to set the stars but he couldn't bring himself to complete something that he couldn't be proud of.

Gold stood and stretched his arms over his head. As he did so, he looked at the photos lining the wall and thought that they made the house into a warm home. He wondered if he would be able to stay long enough for it to feel like home to him too. He could feel Crystal watching him and turned a smile to her. "Maybe you're right to say I need a change of setting!"

Crystal's words of encouragement was cut off when he crossed the room and lifted into his arms. She didn't know why he thought it was okay to act so familiar with a person. She quickly hit him over the head and he almost dropped her but quickly tightened his arms around her. Gold didn't understand why she looked so flushed when she asked. "What are you doing?"

"I'm being a gentleman. I can't let a lady walk all the way to Bark Town when it's easier to fly us there." he answered her. Gold thought he was being perfectly logical so didn't understand why she wanted him to leave her. When she moved in his arms to push at his chest, he realized that she must've been uncomfortable with him holding her so close.

"Not one for flying?" He set her back on her feet and she placed her hand over her heart. She didn't know why he always made her heart race. Even when she was younger, her heart never beat so fast for a person. He didn't seem to be effected though since he only smiled, "It's a shame since flying is really freeing. One of these days I need to take you flying to see the stars."

Crystal thought that seeing him paint the stars personally but there were so many facts that kept that concept a fanciful dream. Even if the fantasy aspect of that dream was standing before her now, she didn't know how to fully accept it. "I don't think flying into space is a good idea since only one of us has that ability. Anyway, I'm not immortal and I can't breathe in space."

"Maybe we'll go when you trust me more," He brushed aside her arguments. Gold knew that they were from different world, facts and fantasy, but he wanted to get closer to her. He didn't know what exactly it was but Crystal interested him. "When you feel like going to see my stars, you only need to tell me and I'll work my magic. Until then we're going."

"Going where?" She asked when he pulled on her hand. He painted a door on the wall and opened it for her. Gold held it open for her expectantly but she looked beyond the door cautiously. She was still becoming accustom to his powers but didn't know why he created a doorway to a strange alley way.

"You said that your sister goes to places she feels comfortable when she has writer's block so I'm going somewhere like that for me." Gold placed a hand around her shoulder and prompt her forward. "I'm going home."

The door closed behind them and faded away into the brick wall. She didn't know where they were but the moon was out now so she guessed that they were on the other side of the equator. Did he truly intend to fly across the earth in the beginning? Then his words dawned on her. This was his home but he said he lived in the sky so they must be in his home while he was still human.

"This place hasn't changed at all." Gold voice was thick with bittersweet nostalgia. He left his home on a whim to pursue his passion and now he was returning on a whim to find it again. Just standing outside the eroding building brought back memories. But everything connecting him to the house died long ago so what comfort was he hoping to find?

"Are you okay?" Crystal could sense his hesitation. She knew that returning to a home after so long would be painful for anyone and wondered why he came back to it. She thought he must've been homesick when she remembered how he always had a yearning look when he spoke about his past or his home. "Maybe we can go somewhere else."

"You don't need to worry about me Crys. I've visited my home a lot over the years so I don't feel sad or regret," He lied to her. Gold was glad that he dragged her along since she gave him a comfort he didn't understand let alone explain. But with her by his side, he couldn't very well go back or else he would appear weak in her eyes. "Now let's go inside."

"I'm surprise that your home is still here since it has been so long," Crystal noted as he quietly opened a window for them to climb into. He painted the air around them to make them invisible so she guessed that a family had moved into his home or his ancestor could still be occupying the house.

"I don't think they would tear down an orphanage but you're right. Then again in a small town like this, things don't really change and it's probably a historic part of the town." More question raced through her mind when he said that he lived in an orphanage. She almost didn't notice him placing his hands on her waist to lift her through the window.

"You think too much sweetie," Gold could read her thoughts easily when he saw sympathy pass through her eyes. After he placed her on the ground and flew into the window, he explained. "My mother owned this orphanage and it's been passed down through my family. The outside may not have changed but the inside has a lot."

Crystal wondered what it looked like when he was human. She knew asking him to revisit painfully memories was rude so kept the question to herself. Gold took several steps forward and opened the first door he came into. "I asked the gods to watch over this place and keep it from being destroyed as a condition of becoming a painter."

He walked into the room before she could stop him. Even if he painted the air around them to make them invisible, the children would be alarmed if they saw doors opening randomly. He placed a finger on his lips to motion for her to be silent. Crystal looked into the room and saw that it was a storage room with sheets covering the furniture but Gold seemed to be reminiscing as he sat on the floor next to the window.

"Was this your room?" She asked.

"No, it was my mother's." He looked around the room but his eyes never focused on anything. "She was a simple woman and never needed anything grand. She said that she would rather give the children the large room and take this small one as her own. She said it also has the best lighting for painting even if it was during the night."

"She sounds like a wonderful woman." Crystal sat next to him.

"She was a total nag," Gold laughed. "She would always yell at me for leaving my paints everywhere even if I was a teenager at the time. She introduced me to painting too. Love her for that but I was beat so many times and called a queer for liking to paint. She just told I'll only be truly happy doing what I love so I should ignore them."

"I still think she sounds like a wonderful mother," Crystal repeated and Gold nodded.

"Her advice for bullies didn't work though. I ignored them but they still picked on me. Finally snapped one day and just beat them. No one bothered to pick on me for painting since then." She told her the story and she laughed since she could easily see Gold beating the bullies. While she didn't condone violence, she had to say they deserved it.

Crystal admired how Gold always seemed to be confident about who he was when he told her about his past. She hoped that she would be able to help him find that person again. Seeing him worried and unsure about himself wasn't like him.

She leaned away from the wall and stared at the moonlight trickling through the window not far from them. Crystal didn't know how it was possible to see every detail of that light outside of a painting. "Your mother was right when she said that this place has beautiful lighting even if it's night. I never knew that the moonlight could light up a room like this."

Crystal moved in front of the window and looked up at the stars in the sky. They were still shinning bright in the sky but how long could they keep their shine without Gold? How much longer did they have to help each other keep the stars in the sky?

Gold watched her surrounded by the moonlight Cresselia created. Since she had been spending so much time with him, she was beginning to cross into his world. Her being able to see a painter's individual medium in their creation showed that much. He didn't know if he should be worried since no painter had brought a human into their world before.

But seeing her in his portrait world of colour and hues, he could only find her all the more beautiful. He thought her beautiful before but now that he was studying her among the talent of the painters, he thought she outshined them. Her beauty was something that couldn't be captured in art because it came from her heart, in the person that she was.

"Did coming here inspire you?" Crystal asked him over her shoulder and looked back to him. He was sketching something on a canvas as a base like he was doing that morning but now his face look much calmer. She thought Gold didn't hear her for a moment before turning the canvas so she could see it. She sat next to him again and took it into his hand so she could study it.

It was a rather rough sketch but she thought that it was beautiful. It was of woman in a kimono staring out of a window with a white galaxy wrapping itself around her, giving her an angelic glow. Her face was turned upwards to something outside the window and Crystal wondered what Gold intended it to be since the window was empty.

"I was thinking that I can use a light blue for her kimono so she and the stars can be the focal point." He came behind her and moved his arm around her so he could show her what he envisioned. He didn't want to use his powers to paint it so would have to wait until he got some paint to complete it. "Do you think I should use silver for the pattern or do think it would blend into the star dust too much."

"I think that the stars being a part of galaxy would be beautiful," Crystal answered quickly. Her heart started to race and she was acutely aware of Gold's heat pressed against her back. He wasn't being his usual perverted self and instead smiling childishly as he explained the colours he was planning to use. He had held her close several times before but in this peaceful moment it felt different.

The sound of the door opening brought the moment to a stop and worried over who was entering. Gold covered her mouth to keep her from calling out and pulled her back into the shadows. While they were invisible, he didn't want to risk the boy walking into them. They swore together when his canvas slipped from her hand and landed on the ground away from his barrier.

It was too late to pick it up since the boy already entered the room. Crystal let out a breath of relief when he passed by the canvas without noticing it. He walked straight to the window and opened it. Gold went to pick up his canvas while the boy was still distracted but stopped when he heard the boy make a wish. He had to stop considering how the wish started.

_I know wishing on stars is stupid but I have no choice_, the boy pouted up at the sky. Gold was the only one able to hear him and debated if he should entertain the boy's wish. _I want to become taller and more powerful. I don't want to depend on animals anymore. I want to use my own power to save this orphanage! Just give me the power to win the tournament._

Crystal watched Gold's face and wondered what the boy was wishing for. Gold was silent as he walked beside the boy and placed a hand on his head, melting the barrier he painted around them. The boy looked at Gold in shock, "Who are you? What are you doing here? If you're one of the people asking for money, we'll pay you after I win the tournament!"

"Do I look like I want money?" Gold knelt in front of the boy so he could look into his eyes with respect. "You made a wish and I came here to grant it. Now wishing on a star doesn't sound so stupid, does it. I'll over look that insult and grant your wish but I want you to tell me what you meant by people asking for money."

The boy was quiet for a moment before explaining that the orphanage had become ridden with debt suddenly. Gold's hand tightened when he was told that their troubles came around the same time he left to find his muse. But he needed to concentrate on helping the boy so forced an encouraging smile. He already decided to help the boy but his words struck a chord with him.

"There's a tournament and I want to win the prize money to pay off the debt. All of the other kids said that I'm weak without those stinky animals helping me but I'm going to win all on my own and show them. All I need is to become stronger but I don't have the time. Please just make me stronger and let me win the tournament!"

"It's really noble of you to want to help your friends," Crystal had never seen Gold look so calm. Maybe it was because he was raised in the orphanage surrounded by people that he was good with kids but she admired his patients. "I'm going to grant your wish. Just promise that you beat them so bad that those bullies can't say anything to you!"

"You can't be telling him to use violence," Crystal said in a heavy sigh and they both turned to her. The boy noticed her for the first time. He looked at her in wonder since she dared to reprimand a man with the ability to grant wishes. "Look, if you want them to stop bullying you, you must gain their respect by being the better person. If you win, you win with grace and shake his hand like a true champion."

"A true champion?" the boy looked down at his hand. She smiled softly to him and nodded.

"And you shouldn't talk about animals like you were since they seem to like you and help you. It's not weak to depend on friends." Crystal advised him. "Now what's your name? I expect to hear it often if you're going to use the power Gold gives you to win tournaments to help this orphanage."

"Emerald!" He said proudly. "I'm going to be a champion!"

"I'm sure you are," Gold ruffled the boy's hair. He took out his paintbrush and started to paint over the boy's long sleeves. He laced his magic into the fabric so it would make him stronger. He didn't want the boy to depend on the strong so said, "But I want you to promise that you're going to become stronger on your own so you don't need to use my power to defend your love ones."

"I'll train a lot," Emerald promised. With what he needed, he started to turn and leave the room. He stopped in front of the canvas Crystal dropped and picked it up. He studied it for a moment before smiling. "I've never seen this one before!"

"This one?"

"There's a lot of paintings passed down from long ago with this same style but I haven't seen this one before." Emerald walked to one of the clothes covering the wall and pulled it off to reveal a painting. "One of the owner's ancestors made it and she loves them so much that she couldn't bring herself to sell them. She made sure to preserve them all."

"Can I keep one in trade of granting your wish?" Gold's voice was hesitant but Emerald didn't notice and nodded. Crystal noticed though and placed her hand on his shoulder. Her thought was confirmed when she noticed that the corner had Gold's name signed in the corner. After Gold told Emerald to return to bed and he left the room, Gold immediately started searching the paintings.

One after the other, he pulled off the sheets to reveal beautiful acrylic. Gold went to the next painting immediately and she wondered what he was looking for. Each painting was beautiful and grand. She was pleasantly surprised to see that most weren't of the stars she knew so well since the gods recognized him for painting them.

"It's still here after a century?" Gold laughed in disbelief and joy at the same time. Crystal looked away from the painting to see that he was once against leaning against the wall. He had a painting in his hand but it was so small that it fit in his palm. "My mother loved this portrait that she kept it with her."

She sat next to him and saw that it was a family portrait. He looked only sixteen in it but the grin was mistakenly his. An elderly couple was standing behind him so she guessed they were his parents. Behind the family was the night sky, so bright with love. "I thought that I would never paint anything better than this and I haven't but once I find my muse I'm going to."

He had to or he would've left his family for nothing. How much different would his life be if he didn't take the gods' offer to become a painter. While he had a lot more opportunities to do what he wanted, he now felt trapped in it. His muse should be something that made him feel free rather than contained to one thing.

"I was right when I said your mother was beautiful," Crystal said beside him. She had a smile in her eyes though her lids were slowly beginning to fall. She must've been tired since she worked during the night and lately had to help him during the day too. She was so tired that she didn't complain when she leaned her head on his shoulder.

He thought that he should tease her for a moment but her even breathing lulled any intent he had. Gold knew they should leave but didn't want to disturb him. Even though he saw so many expressions on her face, this was the first time he saw her so unguarded and had to admit that he liked to see such a trusting look on her face.

Gold painted a blanket over her shoulder before he painted a barrier around them. While going back to his family home brought back painfully happy memories, he was happy that he did. Granting a wish felt good for the first time in a while and he felt closer to finding his muse.

"Thank you, Crystal." He whispered, liking how her full name felt on his lips. Feeling mischievous, Gold stole a kiss on the top of her head but she didn't want. She shifted and pressed her head into his shoulder. "I'm going to find a way to thank you, I promise."

Gold felt someone's presence near him and quickly pulled Crystal beneath his cloak to hide her. He didn't want to wake her and cause her to worry, especially if it was danger. He let out a breath of relief when he saw that the person to step through the window was Yellow. She pulled off her hood and looked worriedly at him.

She already knew that he was staying with a human so felt comfortable enough to move his cloak away from her. He moved her beside him so that she was more comfortable and painted a barrier around her so she wouldn't hear their conversation or wake. Yellow noticed how he treated her with such care and worried all the more.

"If you're beginning to care for her I want you to know the danger you'll be dragging her into. I want to help you but is it right to involve a human," Yellow was always protective of humans and Gold worried about what her words suggested. "I wouldn't say anything about being with a human if this wasn't the case but this might become more dangerous for her."

Gold looked back to Crystal and kept the emotion from his voice, "what do you mean?"

"They're sending Lance after you." She answered in a worried voice. "I'm trying to buy you some time but if it does come to blows you shouldn't involve a human. We have powers but she doesn't."

"Don't worry about us, I'll protect her." Gold vowed before she could continue. Yellow saw the determination in his eyes and knew that she couldn't change his mind so she could only support him. They both knew how Lance was and she hoped that nothing would come to her friend.

* * *

**Giant MangaQuest chapter! Man I've been writing a lot since I posted **_**Sweet Illusions**_** this week too XD**


	7. Creating a Muse

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or any of the characters**

* * *

Crystal felt as if she was surrounded by a comforting heat when she woke. It took her a while to realize that it was morning since the world was dark around her for a moment until the hood placed over her head started to slip off. Sleep clouded her vision for a moment so she didn't react when she felt a familiar hand on head. "You're finally awake, SuperSerious Gal?"

"Gold!" Crystal realized that Gold was carrying her on his back. He placed his mantle over her so she wouldn't be cold but he was so warm she doubted she needed it. She didn't know how long he had been carrying her and became more embarrassed at the thought. He didn't say anything since he knew his teasing smile would be enough to make her irritated.

"Don't worry," Gold adjusted his hold on her and pulled off the hood so she could see. She saw that they were in front of the orphanage and in the morning light it looked much more inviting than it did during the night. Children were playing in front of the building and she spotted Emerald easily as he trained. "I painted over it and I wanted you to see it."

The walls were much brighter now and she felt as if new warmth was breathed into the building. Children were also enjoying a wide array of toys and she knew that Gold created them with his powers. She could see the glow of his stars around the orphanage and was glad that Gold brought her to his home. She felt as if she was starting to understand him more.

"I wanted to let you sleep but we should be getting home now," Gold sounded slightly disappointed but she understood why he would feel so. He called out to Emerald and waved bye before turning to leave. She thought he would put her down but instead he tightened his grip on her. When he started to run quickly, she wrapped her arms around his neck more securely.

"Gold!" She screamed for him to stop and hoped that he wouldn't fly because she was still worried about him dropping her. Gold must've known that for his feet stayed on the ground. Crystal pressed her face into his shoulder to distract herself from the wind rushing around her. "Please slow down! Are you crazy running like this will give me a heart attack."

"Why would I try to give someone I care for a heart attack? Just look," Gold nudged her and she cautiously looked up to see that Gold was running so fast that the world was becoming a vortex of colours around them. She didn't know if she could explain the colours around her as the product of science of magic and somewhere after meeting Gold she forgot to question it.

"It's beautiful," She leaned her head on his shoulder again but kept her eyes on the colours around her. She wanted to reach out and touch them but a part of her was worried about what would happen if she did. Even if it was difficult to work with Gold in the beginning, she was glad that she agreed to help him and got to experience everything with him.

Gold looked over his shoulder to see her soft smile and was glad that she was enjoying herself. He was traveling between worlds so he could return her home quicker without risking Lance finding them but now he was glad he did so for her smile. He saw the colours so often but seeing her awe made them more magical than when he first saw them.

"I think your mother would be proud of what you did for the orphanage." Crystal told him and Gold hoped that it was true. Caring for others was her life and a part of him wanted that aspect of her to live on in the orphanage. If he was able to preserve that part of her, he was happy. He stayed awake the entire night to give the orphanage a new coat of paint.

He found himself enjoying painting the building and hoped that it would continue. Even though he didn't find his muse yet, he felt that he was beginning to find it. Gold felt Crystal tighten her arms around him but he didn't sense any fear from her. Her soft scent surrounded him and he silently thanked her wishing on his star and in turn become his leading star.

* * *

"_When all of your dreams are shattered and your world's left in tatters. I will stand by you_." Lyra sang as she sat in front of the house as she waited for Crystal and Gold to return. She was worried that they hadn't returned yet but she was certain that Gold would protect her. There was no danger to them anyways, at least none that she knew of. "_Because you're worth it_."

Silver listened to her sing and wondered if she was trying to sing off tune or if she was truly horrible at singing. The joy on her face brightened the already sunny morning though. He wondered if he should make his presence known while she seemed to be enjoying herself so much. He wondered what it would be like to be so blissfully ignorant of trouble.

He came to the house to check on Gold but found a letter saying that he would be returning soon. Silver was about to leave when he noticed her on the front bench. She was writing on her laptop as she used her foot to move the bench swing slightly. The first thing he noticed outside her lack of singing ability was her sunny smile. Wasn't she worried about her sister?

"_Even if pain was your past lover, we'll fight it together_." Lyra continued her song. Even if the song was a bittersweet plea, the words she wrote were much more uplifting. He didn't mean to pry but began to read the words on her laptop. It was about a princess and her dragon travelling the land to recapture her fallen country. "_Don't say that you have to go_."

Even if her lyrics didn't hold any connection to her story, he felt that they touched him.

"Isn't it rude to stare at a girl for so long?" He felt someone push him out of the cloud he drew around himself and he fell to Lyra's feet. He swore and looked up to see his sister Blue standing above him with a large grin. He was distracted reading Lyra's novel that he didn't notice his sister sneak behind him. "If you really want to speak to her, just do so. I wish my future niece luck!"

"Blue?" He started to call out to her until another shocked voice overlapped his.

"Silver?" The man in question swore and turned to face Lyra. It was obvious she was confused and he couldn't blame her since he appeared at her feet so suddenly. Trying to maintain as much of his dignity as he could, Silver stood and brushed the dirt from his clothes. "What are you doing here? If you're looking for Gold, he took Crystal somewhere."

"Well if that's the case I'll be leaving." Silver quickly turned to leave. He didn't know why but his gut told him more contact with humans would cause him trouble. He only met the woman twice before and she caused him to reveal the nature of his powers. He only stopped when Lyra reached out and grabbed his wrist with both of her hands.

"You can wait for them with me." She offered. Silver wondered if she actually thought her strength could challenge his when she pulled on his arm and gestured for him to sit. He was finished creating clouds for the day but he planned to help Yellow diverge Lance's attention from Gold. He wanted to protect his friend and he wasn't like Gold who was easily taken by human distraction.

"Sit with her," Blue whispered to him and he groaned. Why was she forcing him to bother with a human woman? Even with the distance between them, he could see her wide gestures telling him to sit. Blue interacted with human often but he still felt uncomfortable with people. "'You said you wanted to help Gold and getting along with humans will help him."

"Fine," Silver mumbled to both his sister and Lyra. The things he did for the people he loved! He sat next to her and she closed her laptop so she could give him her full attention. She was curious about him and was hoping that she could learn more about Gold from him since he would be spending a lot of time with her sister. "You don't need to stop writing."

"But that would be rude." Lyra pointed out. Silver didn't know why she thought he could actually hold a conversation with her when he was only waiting for Gold to return. He was disappointed that he wouldn't be able to continue reading about the princess and her dragon. The two characters were surprisingly endearing and he wondered what kind of ending she had in mind for them.

"You don't need to worry about me. I need to create more clouds so you can continue to write." Silver told her and took out his chalk. She frowned and he could see that she was thinking over what she should do. He wondered if he was the one being rude but she didn't seem to be angry at him for ignoring her. "I'm not good with conversation so I don't want to bore you."

"I'm sure you won't bore me!" Lyra said quickly to reassure him. She was surprise that he was expressing the insecurity but was glad that he wasn't silent because he disliked her. "There's so much we can talk about! I have so many questions I want to ask you around being an artist for my next story. It's about two artist meeting and-"

"Shouldn't you finish the story you're working on before you start another?" Silver asked her. He didn't know how comfortable he was about her writing a story based on his life as a painter for the gods. If it was revealed that a human knew about their existence, it would be dangerous for both of them. "It would be a shame if the princess doesn't get her kingdom back after working so hard."

"You've been reading my story?" Lyra asked shocked. Silver had pointed out the fact so easily he didn't realize that he admitted to watching her. He cursed himself since he knew she would think of him as strange. He couldn't deny it so nodded guiltily. Lyra felt shy about her work for a moment since it wasn't completed and she hadn't perfected the story yet.

"So do they live happily ever after?" Silver asked her and Lyra thought he sounded more invested in the story than he first let on. She tried to hide her smile when she shook her head.

"The lord slays the dragons and the princess cries over the death of her best friend and what could've been." Lyra told him and his jaw dropped. He looked from her to her laptop with wide eyes and laughed at how flabbergasted he looked. She waited for him to comment on the false ending she made up and since he looked shock.

"I didn't take you to be a person that can kill off a character." He admitted and scratched his nose. Lyra knew that her attachment to her characters didn't allow her to kill them off easily unless the story demanded it of her. But she didn't believe the inability to kill a character made her a bad writer since she was able to evoke emotions without killing a character.

"I thought they would end up together and rule over their country," Silver said and she wanted to tease him.

"Don't tell me that you ship them!" Lyra laughed and poked his cheek. He wasn't used to physical contact and quickly backed away from her but that caused her to lean towards him more. Silver heard his sister use the term many times and knew that it was an internet term. If he was thinking so romantically, she must've had an influence on him.

"I don't do something as juvenile as 'ship' people. I can read a story without immediately pairing two characters in a romantic relationship. A story is more than that and there are many types of relationships." Silver tried to defend himself but that only made her laugh more. He twitched at the sight of her laughing so hard that she had to hold her stomach.

"I can't believe you know what shipping is. I didn't think painters would be active on the internet or fandoms." She tried to make her words coherent through her laughter. His face was almost as red as his hair and she could forget that he wasn't human. "Don't be shy because I ship them too and that's why I'm going to give them their happy ending."

"Is this what my sister calls being trolled?" Silver groaned when he realized that she manipulated him with her words so easily. She knew what to say to evoke the emotion she wanted and he knew that was what made her a good writer. Others would use their words to manipulate for their own gain but she just wanted to tell a story.

She had something to say and create with her words as he did with his chalk. Gold felt that he lost that and was trying to look for his muse to be able to create again. Maybe he and Lyra could help create something to be his muse. "Do you think that you can write something that gives a person hope and purpose? Can your story about the artists be that?"

"For Gold?" Lyra could read his intention easily and admired that he was always thinking of how to help his friend. She smiled and nodded. Lyra reached out her hand to Silver and they shook in mutual understanding. She didn't know if he was partly doing this to rid themselves of humans quicker but she wanted to help him. "Let's make the best story for him!"

"Thank you," Silver stood when he felt the world change around him. He could sense that it was a painter using their power to travel between worlds. The only person that would cross worlds so close to a human house was Gold so quickly told Lyra. "I want this to be a surprise for Gold so please keep this project from him and your sister."

"I understand. This is going to be my first collaboration with an artist!" Lyra grinned and watched him walk to where Gold suddenly appeared. She was glad to see her sister safe so quickly ran to Crystal. "Welcome back! I knew you would return safely so I made breakfast for everyone. Let's go inside and eat 'til we throw up!"

_Can I really handle working with someone with so much energy_, Silver thought to himself. He saw that Gold looked rather happy and hoped that his friend was making progress finding his muse. Silver would just have to help him find a muse before Lance discover where they were hiding.

* * *

"What are you doing to my home?" Green screamed in horror when he came home to see that his living room was overtaken with boulders. There were literal boulders that were larger than him in his living room! How Red managed to bring them into his home was only one of the many questions that crossed his mind. While his house was large, the doors couldn't fit the large rocks.

"Welcome home Green!" Red came out from behind one of the boulders and smiled innocently at him. Green gawked at Red's nonchalant attitude and didn't know what to ask or address first. Red clapped the dust from his hand and held it out to Green. "I wanted to thank you so I thought I'll craft you-"

"You can thank me by putting my living room back to normal!" Green ran his hand through his hair to keep himself from strangling Red in his anger. He was a rather calm and collected person but this was beyond the line considering that he only moved in a day ago. With a heavy sigh, he pulled out a stake of paper from his bag and held it out to him.

"Thank god I made this. I just didn't think I'll have to give this to you so soon." Red took the stake of paper from Green and read it over. "If you want to continue living here, you need to follow all the rules I've listed here. Now there's no confusion over what is allowed and not. I am doing this out of the kindness of my heart but there's a limit-"

"Do you love Blue?" Red asked Green suddenly and the man in question chocked on the rest of his sentence. Where did that come from?

"You don't seem to be the type of person to just open his home to a complete stranger so there must be another reason. I can tell you're not a malicious person but this is a little much. Since I knew that, I wanted to make something to say thank. But if the reason is connected to Blue, I want to know. She's like a little sister to me so I need to know what your feelings towards her are."

"Where are you getting all this from?" Green didn't know why his face felt hot all of a sudden. "A saw some guy harassing her and offer to help. I've known her for a while now so I trust her when she said that you need my help. Now if there's no more question I'll start making some dinner for us to eat. Really, between you and Blue, I'm beginning to regret this."

"I already some stew for us." Red said proudly and disappeared behind one of the boulders. He came back carrying a stew and Green had to admit that it looked delicious. He hadn't eaten since that morning and his hunger could very well forgive Red if he did clean up his living room. "And I made you a new table since the one you have is pretty small."

"I don't need a big table since-" Green was shocked into silence when Red effortless pushed the large boulder aside to show an elegant table. He didn't know what he should be impressed with more, Red's strength or the table. Red didn't seem to think of either much since he only set the pot on the table and began to set the table.

"Let's have our first dinner as friends!" Red smiled and held out a bowl to him as a peace offering. This could very well be the strangest dinner he had but he never had many people over. He didn't know much about Red but this was very different from the family dinners he had. It was just as warm and Red seemed friendly enough. Maybe there was nothing to worry about with Red.

Except him trying to kill him with poison. The moment Green ate the stew, he felt like throwing up and spit it out. He didn't want to be rude but he never tasted anything so disgusting and it would very well kill him if he swallowed it. He saw Red happily eating it and asked, "How can you survive with this cooking skill? This taste likes rocks."

"Because I made it from rocks," Red answered simply and Green pushed the bowl away. He could only guess what Red meant by saying that he created the soup with rocks. Did he purposely add rocks and did he know how that could ruin his health? "If you don't like stew I can something meatier for you. Blue didn't tell me what you like to eat."

"I can eat anything as long as it's not made with rocks," Green muttered. He didn't know how the rest of the tie with Red would be like but if it was like today he would be driven crazy. Even if Red was an odd person, he was kind enough to make dinner. "But thanks for the thought. I can take care of myself so you don't need to bother next time."

"Blue was right when she said you were independent to a fault," Red leaned back in his chair. "You can depend on others, you know? Blue speaks highly of you so you must be a capable person but you shouldn't rely on only yourself. I know I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Blue and Yellow. They're true friends and I'm not against having another friend even if you're human."

"Even if I'm human?" Green started to ask and Red's hand stopped for a moment before it became lax once again. He tried to brush off the issue but Green still gave him a questioning look. Red cursed himself since Yellow had just given an hour lecture about not saying too much to Green about themselves. How was he going to talk himself out of this without using his powers?

"Roleplaying!" Red came up with the quick excuse. "We often play this roleplaying game where we're guardians of the world needing to protect humans. It was just an inside joke we have. I'm so used to talking to Blue and Yellow like that so I often let it slip. Don't mind me if I do start talking about gods and humans."

"Sure," Green stored away the titbit of information to consider if he should call the cops. The more time he spent with Red, the more he worried that he was housing a crazy person. What should he believe when everything he was experiencing was defying logic? "So tell me about yourself. Do your family know that you're here?"

"Yellow and Blue are my family so they know I'm here," Red said softly. He needed to give an answer and that was the first one that came to mind. The two were the people that kept him human after centuries under the Gods watched. No matter what came, they were strong and willful. He was grateful to them and hoped that he would be able to protect them.

Green sensed that Red wasn't very comfortable answering him questions. He already deduced that Red was a detective looking for someone so thought that there was a lot he couldn't reveal about himself. Was Blue in the same business as him? "How long have you known them? You all seemed pretty close when they first came to visit."

"A long time. Now don't you have a lot of questions, Greenie?" Green felt someone wrap their arms around him from behind and he turned to see Blue. How did she get into his home? How long had she been listening to him? "I came to check on you two and make sure you were getting along. I love what you've done with the place."

"He did it without my consent," Green sighed and gestured for her to sit on one of the chairs Red made. He never had so many people visit his home or visit so often. He was slowly beginning to become accustom to their constant noise. "If you want to talk to Red, I'll give you some privacy."

"I just wanted to have a large family dinner!" Blue sat in the chair next to him and grinned at him. In truth she came to his house to check on Red and make sure that he wasn't doing anything to show his power. She was disappointed at the sight of the large boulders but mostly because she wasn't able to see Green's reaction to them.

"I just came back from seeing my brother and I'm glad to say that I'm due for a baby girl to spoil." Blue grinned and Red laughed.

"You say that every time Silver so much as look at a girl for more than ten seconds." Red pointed out and Blue puffed her cheeks in defiance. She had a good feeling about Lyra and told Red so. "You also had a hunch that he was meant to be with that one painter but they're still not together. I always thought that Silver wasn't aware of love."

"I think that's you," Blue shot back jokingly. She sighed exaggeratedly and pouted. "My poor heart breaks every time I realize that I might not be able to hold baby Orange."

Red chocked on his food since he knew what she was hinting. Only two colours could make orange and he wished that Blue would bring up the issue with his relationship with Yellow. He loved her but he was sure that she only thought of him as a friend. That was why he always avoided any romantic aspect. Even if she didn't feel the same as he did, he still felt the need to protect her.

"Careful, Blue, two can play at this game." Red tilted his head and Green wondered what he was referring to. He was watching the two interact and their exchange looked so easy that it was obvious they were close. Green looked between the two and rubbed his stomach from an emotion he never felt before. He wondered why suddenly felt jealous watching them.

"I'm going back to my room to go over the data my team collected today." Green swallowed the last of his stew and stood for him to leave. Blue wanted to stop him since he looked so irritated but she knew there was another issue they needed to address.

"I guess we can talk about what you really came to talk about," Red sighed.

* * *

**Three chapters in three days! Anyone who says that I don't update enough can now eat their feet :P Now watch while I go dead for the next week XD I'm taking on a second job so that leaves me less time to work so I made all these chapters to make up for it.**


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